QantasLink

Infobox_Airline
airline=QantasLink

logo_size = 199
IATA=QF
ICAO=EAQ, SSQ, NJS, UTY
callsign=Eastern, Sunstate, National Jet, Unity
founded=2002
alliance=Oneworld (Affiliate)
headquarters=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
key_people=
fleet_size=49 (+12 orders) [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/qantas-adds-to-bombardier-fleet/2007/10/22/1192940963940.html Qantas adds to Bombardier fleet - Business - Business - theage.com.au ] ]
destinations=Regional Australia
website= [http://www.qantaslink.com.au/ www.qantaslink.com.au]
sign=EASTERN, SUNSTATE, NATIONAL JET, UNITY

QantasLink is a regional brand of Australian airline Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is a major competitor to REX Airlines (Regional Express Airlines).

History

Prior to 2002, Qantas' various subsidiaries operated under separate brands. In 2002, a common brand was created encompassing the regional subsidiaries, Airlink, Sunstate, Eastern Australia Airlines, and Southern Australia Airlines. For a short whileFact|date=February 2007, QantasLink took over some of Qantas' non-trunk routes, such as Sydney - Sunshine Coast, using Boeing 717 planes that were inherited after Qantas acquired Impulse Airlines. QantasLink ceased operating some of these routes after Qantas formed low-cost subsidiary Jetstar, transferring the Boeing 717 aircraft and routes to the new airline. In 2005/06, 8 of the 717s were returned to QantasLink following Jetstar's acquisition of Airbus A320 aircraft. However this time they are being operated in Western Australia, Northern Territory and far north Queensland by National Jet Systems.

Fleet

QantasLink flights are operated by the airlines that make up the group - Eastern Australia Airlines, Sunstate Airlines and National Jet. Although all flights use QF IATA codes, the actual ICAO codes and callsigns used in the Air Traffic Control system vary as to the airline operating the service. Eastern and Sunstate also use special two letter ICAO codes for use in Australia only. As a guide Eastern and Sunstate operate the Dash 8 services with the Boeing 717 flights being operated by National Jet.

The codes used by these airlines are:

Expansion

Currently Qantaslink has 7 Dash 8 Q400's, though as of October 30, 2007 has signed a deal for an additional 12 Q400's with 24 options. The AUD$400 Million dollar investment will increase capacity on various key routes and will also allow for the retirement of all the Dash 8 100's by the end of 2010; due to rising fuel costs this has been accelerated to Q3 2008. Qantaslink pursued this deal, despite recent landing gear problems with these aircraft by some airlines. This problem also saw a grounding of the Q400's by Qantaslink, though all were deemed safe and returned to service.

As part of their 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, along with the services ex Melbourne to Burnie.

Since 2005, Qantaslink services in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory have been contracted to National Jet Systems, using the QantasLink brand. The hubs for QantasLink under the National Jet Systems contract are in Perth, Western Australia, Cairns, Queensland and Darwin, Northern Territory.

Qantas replaced its daily Melbourne-Launceston Boeing 737 service with a twice daily QantasLink Dash 8 service from August 1, 2006.

On February 25, 2008, Alliance Airlines commenced flying QantasLink services between Perth, Karratha and Port Hedland with Fokker 100 Aircraft.

In May 2008, Qantaslink announced that Tamworth will be the first New South Wales regional port to be serviced by the Dash 8 Q400, commencing in mid-August 2008. [http://tamworth.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/bigger-is-better-qantas-introduces-72-seater/772243.aspx Bigger is better: Qantas introduces 72 seater - Northern Daily Leader] ]

Destinations

*QantasLink destinations served by Eastern Australia Airlines:

**Australian Capital Territory
**Canberra

**New South Wales
**Albury
**Armidale
**Coffs Harbour
**Dubbo
**Lord Howe Island
**Moree
**Narrabri
**Port Macquarie
**Sydney Hub
**Tamworth
**Wagga Wagga

**Tasmania
**Devonport
**Launceston

**Victoria
**Melbourne Hub
**Mildura
**Mount Hotham Seasonal

*QantasLink destinations served by Sunstate Airlines:

**Australian Capital Territory
**Canberra Hub

**New South Wales
**Lord Howe Island
**Newcastle
**Sydney

**Queensland
**Barcaldine
**Biloela
**Blackall
**Blackwater
**Brisbane Hub
**Bundaberg
**Cairns Hub
**Charleville
**Emerald
**Gladstone
**Hamilton Island
**Hervey Bay
**Horn Island
**Longreach
**Mackay
**Rockhampton
**Roma
**Townsville
**Weipa
*QantasLink destinations served by National Jet Systems:

**Northern Territory
**Alice Springs
**Ayers Rock
**Darwin Hub
**Gove

**Queensland
**Cairns Hub

**Western Australia
**Broome
**Kalgoorlie
**Karratha
**Newman
**Paradurdoo
**Perth Hub

*QantasLink destinations served by Alliance Airlines:

**South Australia
**Adelaide
**Olympic Dam

**Queensland
**Brisbane
**Mackay

**Western Australia
**Karratha
**Perth
**Port Hedland

Accidents and Incidents

* On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737, a domestic flight from Melbourne to Launceston, was subject to an attempted hijacking.

* On 7 February 2008, Qantas Flight 1944, a domestic flight from Gove to Darwin suffered airframe damage on landing in Darwin, when the aircraft entered an area of high sink on final approach and made a heavy landing. Wrinkling was later found in the aft fuselage. [ [http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/AAIR/aair200800641.aspx Aviation Safety Investigation Report - ATSB] ] A Boeing team repaired the aircraft in Darwin and it was returned to service 17 May 2008

ee also

*Qantas
*Regional airline
*National Jet Systems
*Sunstate Airlines

References

External links

* [http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/company/qantasLink QantasLink Official Info]