Background Information.

Australia Asia Airlines Limited was formed in 1990 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas Airways to operate services between Australia and Taiwan.

The subsidiary was established due to objections by Mainland China to State owned National carriers of countries with which it had diplomatic relations flying to a territory that it regarded as a breakaway province.

Australia Asia (considered by China to be a non State owned airline) commenced services between Sydney and Taipei on October 11, 1991

The three aircraft that operated services for Australia Asia Airlines were seconded from the Qantas fleet and repainted into a modified livery which displayed neither the Australian Flag nor the kangaroo tail logo. The logo was replaced by a dynamic ribbon. Australia Asia initially flew using the IATA code 'IM' but switched to 'QF' in 1994.

Australia Asia Airlines ceased operations in 1996 as Qantas could by then serve Taiwan in its own right due to it having been completely privatized. The aircraft were returned to the Qantas fleet where they were repainted into the standard Qantas Airways livery before being returned to normal operations.