Former Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-JQL Final Flight to Mackay Airport and Now in Perth with QantasLink / Network Aviation

It was recently noted that (now) former Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-JQL departed Townsville Airport after being re-painted in the Qantas / QantasLink 'Silver Roo' livery before then ferrying over to Perth in Western Australia where it has become the third A320 to join the fleet of fellow Qantas subsidiary Network Aviation.  The A320s look to be primarily used on Network Aviation’s Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight routes.

VH-JQL (MSN 2185) was delivered to Jetstar in 2004 - interestingly with the delivery route also reportedly including Rockhampton Airport.  VH-JQL also recently underwent a livery 'update' into the latest Jetstar Airways livery.

VH-JQL operated its last Jetstar revenue service on Monday 14 October when it completed the JST888/889 service from Brisbane to Mackay Airport and back.

A week later, VH-JQL was ferried up to Townsville from Brisbane.  At Townsville, it was re-painted by Flying Colours into the Qantas / QantasLink 'Silver Roo' livery, becoming the third A320 to wear this livery, along with VH-VQS and VH-VQU which took up operations in Perth with Network Aviation in 2018 - see Blog post HERE.

VH-JQL was also named 'Golden Wattle'.

VH-JQL was subsequently ferried from Townsville to Melbourne (Tullamarine) and then across to Perth (Western Australia)  where it looked to arrive on Thursday 14 November.  VH-JQL operated its first service with QantasLink / Network Aviation on Thursday 28 November when it operated as NWK2650 from Perth to Newman.

VH-JQL was photographed above the next day arriving into Perth Airport as NWK2659 from Broome.

Network Aviation operates their Airbus A320s in a 180-seat all-economy configuration on intra-Western Australia charter services.  They complement the airline's fleet of 17 Fokker F-100 jets.

Network Aviation (Network) is a West Australian based company that has been providing air charter services since 1998.  Over the last 20 years Network Aviation has grown significantly, and in 2011 became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Qantas Group.

Network operates the Airbus A320-200 and has the largest fleet of Fokker 100’s at Perth Airport operating over 300 weekly flights to destinations throughout WA and beyond.  Network caters for the resources industry Fly-in, Fly-out (FIFO), regular airline services on behalf of Qantas, corporate charter and routine or emergency freight.

Website:  https://www.networkaviation.com.au/

Sincere thanks to AviationWA team member David Eyre for his generous assistance in compiling this post!

Photos taken by David Eyre  ©