Mackay Airport Weekend Sports Charter Flights - REX SAAB 340 VH-ZRI & Skytrans Dash-8-100 VH-QQF

It was interesting to note a pair of different sports charters brought state-based rugby league and basketball teams to and from Mackay over the weekend.

Around sunset on Saturday 1 July Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-ZRI positioned from Cairns to Mackay Airport as RXA9943.  Then early on Sunday 2 July VH-ZRI flew back to Cairns from Mackay as RXA9544.

File photo

Then again around sunset on Sunday 2 July, VH-ZRI flew back to Mackay Airport from Cairns but as RXA9545.  It then looked to position back to Cairns but as RXA9946.

I presume that VH-ZRI took the Mackay Cutters Queensland Rugby League team to and back from Cairns where they took on the locally-based Northern Pride.

Meanwhile, during the morning on Sunday 2 July, Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100 VH-QQF touched down at Mackay Airport from Townsville as SKP9067.  It had flown into Townsville from Cairns the previous day.

File photo

Then after dark on Sunday 2 July, VH-QQF returned to Cairns direct again flying as SKP9067.

It appears to have flown the Cairns Marlins men and women basketball teams to Townsville and then Mackay to take on the local Townsville Heat / Flames and Mackay Meteors / Meteorettes teams in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL).

Photo taken by 'IAD'  ©