A Busy Sunday Afternoon at Gladstone Airport with Multiple Alliance and QantasLink Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) Charters

Local plane spotter Anthony S was on hand late on Sunday 5 January as Gladstone Airport came alive with at least five Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights calling in from both Brisbane and Sydney.  Gladstone was so busy with the charter flights and usual commercial services, that at one stage, one aircraft was forced to park on the main runway while it waited for a parking space!

Quite possibly the highlight of the afternoon was the arrival of a pair of Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jets operating FIFO flights from Brisbane.  First to touch down was VH-XWT as UTY652.

It was followed by VH-XWR which touched down as UTY654.

VH-XWR had to wait on the main Runway at Gladstone for VH-XWT to depart so it could find a place to park!  VH-XWT is pictured departing back to Gladstone as UTY653.

VH-XWR eventually departed back to Brisbane as UTY655.

Meanwhile, QantasLink operated three FIFO charters - one from Sydney and two from Brisbane - operated by Dash-8-Q400s VH-QOX, VH-LQB, and VH-QOW.

As mentioned below, perhaps the highlight of plane spotting at Gladstone Airport on Sunday 5 January was the visit of Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VOM on a scheduled service from and back to Brisbane as VOZ1711/1714.

Certainly a great day of plane spotting, and we sincerely thank Anthony for taking the time to send through his images!  He is a budding young plane spotter who is certainly enjoying this great hobby!

All photos taken by Anthony Schulz  ©