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QantasLink

Not to be confused with Air Link.

QantasLink is a full-service, regional brand of Australian flag carrier Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. As of 2024, QantasLink provides over 2,000 flights each week to 61 metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia, as well as short-haul international services to New Zealand, Singapore, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.[1]

QantasLink
IATAICAOCallsign
QFQLK[a]
QJE[b]
NWK[c]
QFA[d]		Q-LINK
Q-JET
NET-LINK
QANTAS
Founded2002; 22 years ago (2002)
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer programQantas Frequent Flyer
AllianceOneworld (affiliate)
Fleet size93
Destinations64 (3 international)
Parent companyQantas
HeadquartersSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Websitewww.qantaslink.com.au

History edit

QantasLink's origins as a single brand for Qantas' regional airline subsidiaries go back to October 1993, when Qantas acquired Australian Airlink Pty Ltd and its fleet from parent company National Jet Systems,[2] which up to that point had been operating flights on major regional routes for Australian Airlines. The Australian Airlink name remained and the fleet was repainted in Qantas livery, and National Jet Systems was subsequently contracted by Qantas to operate Australian Airlink aircraft.

Prior to 2002, Qantas' various subsidiaries operated under their own names, eventually adopting the Australian Airlines, and later, Qantas liveries. In 2002 a common brand was created, encompassing AirLink (a franchise, operated by National Jet Systems), Sunstate Airlines, Eastern Australia Airlines, and Southern Australia Airlines; Southern Australia has since ceased operations.

For a short while, QantasLink took over some of Qantas' non-trunk routes, such as Sydney – Sunshine Coast, using Boeing 717s that were inherited after Qantas acquired Impulse Airlines. QantasLink ceased operating some of these routes after Qantas formed low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Airways, transferring the Boeing 717 aircraft and routes to the new airline. In 2005/06, eight of the 717s were returned to QantasLink following Jetstar's acquisition of Airbus A320 aircraft, with the 717s to be operated in Western Australia, Northern Territory and far north Queensland by National Jet Systems.

On 31 July 2015, Network Aviation was rebranded to QantasLink. This was announced by Qantas with the unveiling of a Fokker 100 in QantasLink colours.[3]

In January 2018, Network Aviation confirmed it would lease two Airbus A320s from Jetstar Airways for flights to and from Perth as part of the QantasLink brand.[4] Network Aviation has steadily increased its use of ex-Jetstar Airbus A320s with a current fleet of 15.

On 20 May 2020, Qantas announced the purchase of Cobham Australia's National Jet Systems subsidiary which had operated the Boeing 717-200 on behalf of QantasLink for 15 years, bringing both employees and the fleet in-house.[5][6]

On 4 February 2021, Qantas announced an initial 3 year deal with Alliance Airlines that they will be leasing 3 Embraer E190 with the option for up to 14 to operate on routes like Adelaide–Alice Springs, Darwin–Alice Springs, and Darwin–Adelaide.[7] Qantas has steadily expanded upon its lease agreement and use of the aircraft, with the company currently agreed to operate 26 aircraft by April 2024, with 4 options remaining.

Fleet edit

Current fleet edit

QantasLink flights, except those flown by the Embraer 190s, are operated by the individual airlines that make up the group – Eastern Australia Airlines, National Jet Systems, Network Aviation and Sunstate Airlines. All flights use QF IATA codes. Turboprop aircraft operate under the ICAO callsign QLK ("Q-LINK"). Until 5 January 2009, Eastern and Sunstate operated under their own callsigns. Network Aviation aircraft operate under their own callsign NWK ("NETLINK"). Boeing 717s operate under the callsign QJE ("Q-JET").

As of April 2024, QantasLink operates the following aircraft:[8]

QantasLink fleet
AircraftIn ServiceOrdersPassengersOperatorNotes
JYTotal
Airbus A220-30022710127137[9]National Jet SystemsDeliveries began in December 2023.[9][10]
Airbus A319-10027[11]—150150[12]Network AviationFormer Spirit Airlines aircraft.
Airbus A320-20015——180180[13]Former Jetstar aircraft.
Boeing 717-2007—1298110[14]National Jet SystemsTo be retired and replaced by Airbus A220-300 from late 2023.[15][16]
—125125[17]
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-2003——3636[18]Eastern Australia Airlines
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-30016——5050[19]5 formerly flew with Jetstar.
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q40031——7474[20]Sunstate Airlines
Fokker 10016——100100[21]Network AviationFormer Tyrolean Airways, Germania and Avianca Airlines aircraft.
Total9234

Former fleet edit

QantasLink previously operated the following types:[22][23]

Gallery edit

Fleet development edit

QantasLink increased capacity by replacing many of its smaller Dash 8-100 and Q200 aircraft with Q400s. QantasLink pursued this deal despite landing gear problems with Q400 aircraft by some airlines. This problem also saw a grounding of the Q400s by QantasLink, though all were deemed safe and returned to service.

As part of its further expansion, QantasLink entered the South Australian market in December 2005, with flights from Adelaide to Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island. Interstate flights were also introduced between Kangaroo Island and Melbourne. Due to low passenger loads, these services ceased operation at the end of June 2006, however QantasLink announced a resumption of Melbourne to Kangaroo Island from December 2017 alongside opening up Adelaide to Kangaroo Island flights.[24] On 8 December 2009, QantasLink announced that it would re-enter the Adelaide to Port Lincoln market from February 2010, using Q400 aircraft flying 23 return services a week.[25]

Since 2005, QantasLink 717 services in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Tasmania have been contracted to National Jet Systems, using the QantasLink brand. The hubs for QantasLink under the contract are in Perth, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, and Hobart.

Qantas replaced its daily Melbourne-Launceston mainline service with a three times daily QantasLink Dash 8 service from 1 August 2006. This has now been increased to a four times daily service, supplemented in peak service periods by QantasLink 717 services.

In May 2008, QantasLink announced that it would order nine 717s. Tamworth would be the first New South Wales regional airport to be serviced by the Q400, commencing in mid-August 2008.[26]

On 29 March 2010, QantasLink and the Qantas Group announced that it would start the first international QantasLink route, from Cairns to Port Moresby, utilising Q400 aircraft already based in Cairns. The service commenced in July 2010. A QantasLink spokesperson stated that "the airline would not turn into a fully fledged international airline, but could operate international routes in the future".[27]

On 18 December 2014, QantasLink announced that it would add Whyalla, South Australia, to its network, with double daily flights to commence on 13 April 2015. The route is serviced by the 50-seat Q300.[28] In July 2015, Network Aviation was absorbed into the Qantas Link brand.[29] In November 2014, QantasLink became the first airline to fly to the newly opened Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, establishing direct Q400 services to Sydney. In February 2016 as a result of strong demand, QantasLink increased weekly services by two flights to fifteen weekly returns.[30]

In July 2016, Alliance Airlines delivered the first of three additional Fokker 100s, with two more delivered by the end of the year.[31]

In July 2018, Network aviation acquired two Airbus A320s from Jetstar (Another Qantas Group Subsidiary) for use within Western Australia.[32]

In May 2020, Qantas bought National Jet Systems and brought the Boeing 717 crew and fleet in-house. In August 2020, National Jet systems closed the Perth and Cairns bases of their operation, with Western Australian operations to be taken over by Network Aviation.[33]

In December 2021, Qantas announced an initial order for 20 Airbus A220-300 with additional purchase options to replace its Boeing 717.[34] On the 29th of June, Qantas announced it was exercising 9 purchase right options for the A220-300 aircraft, taking the total number of A220-300s on firm order to 29, which will begin arriving from late 2023 to 2027.[35]

In February 2023, Qantas announced an order for 5 mid-life Airbus A319s aircraft to increase short term capacity and support the growth of the resource sector in Western Australia for delivery from 2024[36]

Destinations edit

QantasLink destinations served by Alliance Airlines
QantasLink destinations served by Eastern Australia Airlines
QantasLink destinations served by Sunstate Airlines
QantasLink destinations served by National Jet Systems
QantasLink destinations served by Network Aviation

Incidents edit

See also edit

Footnotes edit

Notes

1. ^ QantasLink flights operated by National Jet Systems use the call-sign "QJET", with the ICAO code QJE. All flights continue to operate under the IATA code QF.

2. ^ QantasLink flights operated by Network Aviation do not use an ICAO code and utilise the aircraft registration as a callsign.

  1. ^ On flights operated by Eastern Australia Airlines and Sunstate Airlines
  2. ^ On flights operated by National Jet Systems
  3. ^ On flights operated by Network Aviation
  4. ^ On flights operated by Alliance Airlines

References edit

External links edit

Media related to QantasLink at Wikimedia Commons

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