Cyril Keppel, CMG. Airline executive. Died aged 89.
Cyril (Kep) Keppel, a leader in the local aviation industry, witnessed this country's overseas air services change (over some 40 years) from flying boats through to jumbo jets.
He joined the Tasman Empire Airways, which was to become Air
New Zealand, in 1947.
Born and educated in Invercargill, Mr Keppel started out at the end of the Depression as a trainee manager for chain store McKenzie's.
His war years as a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the supply side was useful in getting a job at TEAL.
His first break came within a year, when he represented the company in Belfast where its new Solent flying boats were being built, replacing aircraft used since 1940.
The new Solents could take 45 passengers and cut the time taken to fly the Tasman to 5 1/2 hours compared with the Sandringham's eight.
In their day, the flying boats were a famous sight taking off or landing on the Waitemata Harbour, plying the route to Sydney and parts of the Pacific, TEAL having taken over the Pacific services from the National Airways Corporation.
TEAL changed its name to Air New Zealand in 1965 and Mr Keppel became its deputy chief executive in 1967 and chief executive and general manager two years later.
Major changes in Mr Keppel's time were the DC-8 jet from 1965, the DC-10 in 1973 and the signing of the contract for Boeing 747s in 1980.
Times were hard in 1976 when Mr Keppel became chairman with criticism over the costs of building up the wide-bodied jet fleet and increasing the frequency of long-haul services.
But he was confident "air travel is here to stay" and tended to castigate the local tourism industry for a shortage of beds that meant tourists planning a Kiwi sojourn went elsewhere.
And, as the airline spread its wings, he was able to note that the long-haul routes were now producing the most profit.
In Mr Keppel's time, Air NZ became a respected international airline competing above its weight.
He is survived by his wife, Val, and children.
