The company's purpose was originally to transport mail, passengers, and cargo across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, during World War II.

[citation needed] In the first year, the annual report revealed that 130 trans-Tasman flights had been completed carrying 1,461 passengers for a profit, prior to tax and dividends, of NZ£31,479.

[citation needed] From 1940–1950, TEAL operated a single Tasman service, between Auckland and Sydney, with Short flying boats.

The intended Wellington–Sydney flying boat service commenced on 3 October 1950 with the departure of TEAL Short Solent IV, RMA Ararangi, from Wellington.

[9] Wellington resumed international service, at first only to Sydney, in 1960 On 20 December 1950, 39–41 passengers on a British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Douglas DC-6 airliner chartered by TEAL, left the recently dedicated Christchurch Airport on a direct flight to Melbourne, and what would become a regular TEAL air service relieving South Island from international air-service isolation.

After completion of a survey flight by a TEAL-operated ex-RNZAF Catalina ZK-AMP in 1951, the Coral Route flight from Auckland to Papeete, Tahiti, via Laucala Bay at Suva, Fiji, Satapuala at Apia, Samoa, and Akaiamai at Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, was inaugurated by TEAL on 27 December 1951, using the Short Solent flying boats long used between Auckland and Sydney.

In Samoa, the plane landed on the sea and a small motor boat operated by Fred Fairman would carry the passengers to shore.

[16] It became the only air route into Tahiti, with Americans and others from Northern Hemisphere flying by landplanes into Nadi in Fiji, making the short trip across to Suva to join the flying boat at Laucala Bay, for its fortnightly flight along the Coral Route, leaving on a Thursday morning for Samoa, alighting on the Satapuala lagoon about 2:00 pm.

Passengers were driven by cab through Samoan coastal villages to Apia, where they enjoyed respite and dinner at Aggie Grey's hotel until 2:00 am when they were driven back out to Satapuala for a pre-dawn take-off to the Akaiami lagoon at Aitutaki where they went ashore for breakfast and an optional swim until mid-morning takeoff for Papeete, timed to ensure that arrival was after the end of the siesta period at 2:00 pm.

After launching ashore and completing Customs, passengers had to wait a further hour while their luggage was sprayed against horticultural pests, a time usually spent by the majority across the road from the Customshouse at Quinn's Bar.

[17] In 1954, TEAL replaced its Mechanics Bay, Auckland to Suva, Fiji, flying boat service, with Douglas DC-6 landplanes from Whenuapai to Nadi.

The Hibiscus Service provided first and tourist-class travel, especially appealing to folk pursuing a Pacific island dream holiday.

[13] The New Zealand National Airways Corporation ceased air mail, passenger and cargo services to Norfolk Island in early September 1955.

They were grounded for six months in 1948 due to engine cooling issues and disposed of at the end of 1949 when a more suitable custom built version of the Short Solent became available.

[citation needed] TEAL flew two Boeing-built Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalinas, on loan from the RNZAF, for training and survey work from 1947 to 1949.

[citation needed] In 1951, TEAL purchased an extra Solent flying boat from BOAC to ease pressure on growing passenger numbers and help with the new Wellington based Tasman Service operating from Evans Bay.

ZK-AMQ Aparima carried on in TEAL service until 1957, and on the Coral Route as the backup to ZK-AMO Aranui based at Suva, Fiji.

It meant the transfer of TEAL's Auckland International Airport operations from Mechanics Bay to the shared Whenuapai air force and civilian terminal, where it was to remain until 1965.

Work was completed on the fleet at Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong engineering facilities to allow a 2000 lb increase in payload.

Wellington's rebuilt Rongotai Airport handled its first DC-6 service just after it re-opened in 1959, ending trans-Tasman flying boat operations from nearby Evans Bay.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a reduced speed operation for the type until remedial repair works were completed in 1961.

An offer by BOAC to lease surplus De Havilland Comet 4s to begin interim jet services immediately was turned down as uneconomical.

After intense scrutiny of all types on offer, TEAL management approached the New Zealand Government for funds to purchase an initial three Douglas DC-8 Series 52 longer ranged jet airliners.

The aircraft were duly completed when TEAL announced a change of airline name on 1 April 1965 to Air New Zealand.

[citation needed] TEAL operated powerboats in support of flying-boats: Designed by Hubert Scott-Paine for the transport of passengers using marine aircraft, the control tender arrived at Auckland on the MV Empire Star in June 1939 and was based at Mechanics' Bay.

[citation needed] Designed by Hubert Scott-Paine for general purpose, particularly the transport of maintenance crew, gear and equipment, and light towing, the auxiliary launch arrived at Auckland on the MV Empire Star in June 1939 and was based at Mechanics' Bay.

[citation needed] In consequence of the Air Department's acquisition of the two flying-boat support launches, TEAL commissioned Colin Wild of Stanley Point, Auckland, to build a 40' express launch named Tasmanair, primarily for the transportation of 25 staff and 2 crew between Mechanics' Bay and Hobsonville.

[26][27] Short S.45 Solent Mk IV flying-boat, TEAL ZK-AMO, RMA Aranui, was restored after years of remedial work by the Solent Preservation Society, a group of former Coral Route crew, engineers and mechanics established in 1982, and since 1990 has been on display at the Museum of Transport & Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland.

[28] Short S.25 Sandringham Mk IV Tasman Class flying-boat, TEAL ZK-AMH, RMA Auckland, formerly RAF serial JM715, which operated with TEAL from 1947 to 1950, is preserved and on display at Solent Sky aviation museum, Southampton, Hampshire, as Ansett Flying Boat Services VH-BRC Beachcomber, retired in 1981.