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 Historical Note : Union Airways starts commercial services A new era of commercial aviation in New Zealand opened when Union Airways (the predecessor of NAC and later Air New Zealand domestic) inter-island services between Palmerston North and Dunedin were inaugurated at the then Milson Aerodrome on Wednesday 15 January 1936. Following a civic luncheon a formal ceremony and official naming of the airliners commenced. Postmaster General, the Hon Fred Jones, named the three De Havilland D.H.86 express airliners ZK AEF "Kotuku" (white heron); ZK AEG "Karoro" (black-backed gull); and ZK AEH "Korimako" (bell bird). Following the ceremony, the flagship for Union Airways, "Karoro" piloted by Flight-Lieutenant A.G. Gerrard and Second Officer C.M. Duthie left for Blenheim, Christchurch and then Dunedin (Taieri). At each aerodrome it was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd. Commercial flights on the main trunk commenced on 16 January 1936 with "Karoro" flying north from Dunedin and "Kotuku" leaving Palmerston North at 8:30am for Dunedin. Passengers on the south-bound flight were Mr J. Linklater, Mrs M. Summer, Mrs Martin, Messrs Watt, McDonald, Paterson, McDowell, Sanders, Erskine, Saunders, and Robbie (a party of four).
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