Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-XJE Finally Calls into CQ at Mackay and Proserpine Airports

On Friday 7 December, Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-XJE finally made its first visit into a Central Queensland Airport, arriving into Mackay Airport as JST886 from Brisbane.  It later returned to the capital as JST887.  VH-XJE then operated the JST830/833 evening service into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport also from and back to Brisbane.

VH-XJE was registered to the airline and entered service in April 2018 – when I photographed it above in Sydney in its first week of service.

VH-XJE has had an interesting history, previously operating in Australia also with Jetstar Airways but as VH-JQW.

The A320 initially rolled off the production line in 2005 and was due to be delivered to Jetstar Asia.  It wasn’t taken up however, and ended up operating in Turkey with Atlas International (Atlas Jet) as TC-OGO before then being sub-leased to Saudi Arabian Airlines in 2007.  After a short time operating in Saudi Arabia, the A320 was then delivered to Jetstar Airways, being delivered and later entering service in Australia in December 2007.

VH-JQW in hybrid Saudi Arabian Airlines colours  (File photo)

It was re-painted into Jetstar titles and colours at RAAF Base Richmond in early 2008 and was eventually withdrawn from service in Australia in June 2010.

VH-JQW in full Jetstar Airways livery in 2008  (File photo)

The A320 was then placed onto the Singapore Aircraft Register as 9V-JSE and operated for Jetstar Asia from July 2010 until early 2018 when it was cancelled from the Singapore Aircraft Register and entered on the Australia Aircraft Register once again but as VH-XJE.  It was delivered into Melbourne (Tullamarine) direct from Singapore in late March 2018.

Fascinating!