Today is an amazing day in NZ Aviation History...

Many thanks to Grayson for sending this through...

1 April 1947 - New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NZNAC) begins licensed operations.

NZNAC served Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill. Air Travel (NZ)'s services to Westport, Hokitika and South Westland were added to the NZNAC network on 1 October 1947.

1 April 1965 - TEAL changes its name to Air New Zealand.

TEAL was registered in Wellington on April 26, 1940 as a limited liability company. Original holdings were: New Zealand Government 20%, Union Airways 19%, BOAC 38% and Qantas 23%. Chairman of Directors - Colonel N S Falla; Deputy Chairman - A E Rudder. The board reported to the Tasman Air Commission, which itself reported to the New Zealand, Australian and British Governments.

It was on April 28 1961 that New Zealand Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr McAlpine, announced that New Zealand had agreed to purchase Australia's half share in TEAL for $1,622,800, the par value of Australia's interest, making New Zealand the sole owner of the airline. The sale was retrospective to April 1, 1961, Australia agreeing to take progressive payments over a four-year period to March 31, 1965. The two governments decided that from October 1, 1961, Qantas would receive trans-Tasman rights.

1 April 1978 - Air New Zealand and New Zealand National Airways Corporation merged to form the new limited liability company Air New Zealand. 

At the time of merger, the new Air New Zealand fleet comprised: 

McDonnell Douglas DC10-30:ZK-NZL; ZK-NZM; ZK-NZN; ZK-NZP; ZK-NZQ; ZK-NZR; ZK-NZS; ZK-NZT. 

McDonnell Douglas DC8-52:ZK-NZC; ZK-NZD: ZK-NZE. 

Boeing 737-200:ZK-NAC; ZK-NAD; ZK-NAE; ZK-NAJ; ZK-NAK; ZK-NAL; ZK-NAM; ZK-NAP. 

Fokker F27-100:ZK-BXA; ZK-BXB; ZK-BXC; ZK-BXD; ZK-BXE; ZK-BXF; ZK-BXG; ZK-BXH; ZK-BXI; ZK-NAA; ZK-NAB; ZK-NAF; ZK-NAH. 

Fokker F27-500:ZK-NAN; ZK-NAO; ZK-NFA; ZK-NFB.

1 April 1984. First non-stop B747 flight from Auckland to Los Angeles, part of the weekly one-stop service to London. 

Journey time northbound of 24 hours is fastest from New Zealand to United Kingdom. This brings the number of B747 services to Los Angeles to 10 a week.