Qantas / QantasLink Starts Embraer E-190 Jet Services into Mackay Airport - Operated by Alliance Airlines

On Sunday 26 March, Qantas / QantasLink started flying into Mackay Airport with Alliance Airlines operated Embraer E-190 jets.  VH-XVX had the honours of being the first ever QantasLink coloured Embraer E-190 to touch down in Central Queensland when it operated as QLK1942/3 from and back to Brisbane.

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Then, later on Sunday, VH-UYO as QJE1944/5 also called into Mackay Airport flying from and back to Brisbane.  As shown, VH-UYO still wears full Alliance Airlines livery.

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Alliance Airlines Embraer E-190 regional jets started flying for Qantas / QantasLink under a wet-lease arrangement from May 2021.  Alliance Airlines initially provided three Embraer jets to QantasLink to fly between Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin.  And as the number of Embraer E-190 jets delivered to Alliance Airlines has increased, so has the number operating with Qantas / QantasLink with aircraft now operating frequently into Queensland.  

The QantasLink E-190 jets will offer 10 seats in business class and 84 seats in economy,

This also was the first time that Qantas / QantasLink has used Embraer aircraft for their regular commercial flights.

As mentioned previously, from the year 2020 Alliance Airlines was due to take delivery of 30 E-190 regional jets - 14 from Copa Airlines and 16 ex-American Airlines aircraft.  In February this year, it was also announced that Alliance Airlines agreed to purchase a further 30 used E-190s which are believed to be currently operated by the US airline JetBlue.

Of interest, E-190 VH-XVX was delivered to Alliance Airlines at Brisbane in full QantasLink colours as N948UW on Saturday 12 November 2022 and entered service on Monday 26 December 2022.  VH-UYO was delivered to Alliance Airlines at Brisbane as N998QQ on Saturday 27 February 2021 and entered service in late May 2021.

Finally, current Qantas schedules seem to indicate that QantasLink Embraer E-190s jets will call into Mackay Airport each weekend, with one visit on Saturdays and two visits as above on Sundays.  This pattern of weekend flights will continue into the future.  We will await to see the more recently delivered E-190s pass through Mackay Airport and Central Queensland.

Photos taken by Tony Haynes  ©