Koala Airlines is a new rebranded airline in Australia based in Melbourne.

The rebranded airline is planning to launch domestic services in Australia with Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

In 2019, Koala Airlines proudly acquired Desert Air Safaris Pty Ltd, a pioneering company in air tours and charter flights that had been operating for over 50 years throughout Australia, PNG and the Pacific Islands. This acquisition brought together two passionate entities dedicated to enhancing travel experiences both domestically and internationally.

Desert Air Safaris was founded in 1970 by airline pilot Dick Lang and his wife, Helen. Together, they transformed the Australian outback and remote destinations into accessible havens for countless travellers, both Australian and international.

Photo: Koala Airlines

Desert Air was Australia’s oldest airline focused solely on developing the tourism industry. It was the first to introduce the concept of ‘packages’ to the market. It operated the iconic DC-3 aircraft, offering tourists a unique experience. Desert Air later expanded the fleet with the introduction of modern twin-engine aircraft.

The legacy of Desert Air will continue under the rebranded name of Koala Airlines.

Koala’s strategy will fundamentally differ from previous entrants in a domestic market which has been long dominated by two major airlines since the Australian government first introduced the Two Airline Policy in 1952.

Under this protectionist policy, only two airlines were allowed to operate flights between state capital cities and between capitals and nominated regional centres. It was not until 1990 that the government relaxed the policy to allow competition in the market.

Bill Astling is the founding CEO of Koala Airlines.

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