Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but principally the
British Empire routes to
South Africa,
India and the
Far East, including
Malaya and
Hong Kong. There were local partnership companies;
Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd) in
Australia and
TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd) in
New Zealand.