What a day at Gladstone Airport! Two Qantas B737-800s Call in on Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) Charter Flights

Local plane spotter Anthony S enjoyed part of a spectacular day of plane spotting action at Gladstone Airport on Thursday 18 December with a pair of Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 aircraft operating a pair of Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights from Sydney and Brisbane on behalf of local construction and engineering company Bechtel.

Firstly, B737-800 VH-VZV touched down from Sydney, positioning as QFA6104.  It then collected a load of passenger and cargo and later departed back to Sydney as QFA1373.

As VH-VZV was taxiing out for departure, fellow Qantas B737-800 VH-VYB touched down from Brisbane, positioning as QFA6102.

It too collected a load of passengers and cargo and later departed back to Brisbane as QFA1371.

It will be interesting to see if there will be more FIFO charter flights in the lead up to the Christmas period.  It should also be expected that these flights will return to Gladstone perhaps early in the new year.

While he was there, Anthony was also able to capture a couple of the scheduled arrivals into the industrial city - it was certainly a busy time!

QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXG was spotted arriving from and departing back to Brisbane as QJE1706/1957.

And Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) ATR 72-500 VH-FVX was captured as it too arrived from and departed back to Brisbane but as VOZ1711/1714.

Finally, JetGo Australia Embraer E-135 jet VH-JGB operated the early morning JG70/71 and is expected to return later on Thursday 18 December as JG78/79.  And there is another Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 jet expected to call into Gladstone Airport later on Thursday 18 December with VH-ZPD scheduled to operate the late afternoon VOZ1717/1720 service from and back to Brisbane.

Sincere thanks to Anthony for capturing and allowing us to share these spectacular photos of a great day at Gladstone Airport.  Thanks mate!

All photos taken by Anthony Schulz  ©