Skyways
Tony Bonner as Paul MacFarlane and Bill Stalker as Peter Fanelli in Skyways
GenreSoap opera
Drama
Created byTerry Stapleton
Jock Blair
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes188
Production
Production companyCrawford Productions
Original release
NetworkSeven Network
Release9 July 1979 (1979-07-09) –
27 July 1981 (1981-07-27)

Skyways is an Australian television soap opera drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.

Production and casting

The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.

Skyways was mainly taped in a television studio where, in many interior-set scenes, Colour Separation Overlay created the illusion of a bustling airport with taxiing planes outside the window. Many of the exterior scenes were shot on location at Melbourne Airport.

The show's regular cast members included Tony Bonner as airport manager Paul MacFarlane, later replaced by Gary Doolan (Gerard Kennedy). Tina Bursill played glamorous and ruthless assistant manager Louise Carter. Bill Stalker, played head of airport security Peter Fanelli, an ex-detective. When Skyways ended Fanelli was moved to Crawford police procedural Cop Shop, while Brian James' character George Tippett was transplanted to Holiday Island.

Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan roles

Years before Neighbours and international pop stardom, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan appeared together in one episode as siblings.

Storylines

An early storyline featured a lesbian flight attendant (Judy Morris) unsuccessfully attempting to seduce a colleague (Deborah Coulls) who revealed she was heterosexual. Morris' character was soon afterwards stabbed to death in the shower as part of a murder-mystery storyline.

International broadcast

The series screened across Europe and the UK during 1984-1986 on Sky Channel which would later become Sky One. It also aired in the UK on Astra Satellite channel, Lifestyle during 1990 at 1.00 p.m Monday to Friday.

Syndication

During the first week of January 2006 the entire series was replayed Thursday early mornings, weekly at 2.00am, then at the later time-slot of 3.00am on WIN TV in Wollongong (South Coast NSW) as part of the early morning Crawfords Classics TV series.

Cast

Main / regular

Recurring / guests

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