QantasLink 717s will soon be serving Canberra. (Rob Finlayson)
QantasLink will upgrade the interiors of the five additional Boeing 717s announced in January to include business class and inflight entertainment ahead of the aircraft’s introduction on Canberra services.
QantasLink executive manager John Gissing said QantasLink would progressively introduce the five aircraft from late this year after the interior improvements were completed.
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“The first aircraft will be used on Sydney-Canberra, Brisbane-Canberra and Melbourne-Canberra, with the B717 aircraft size and configuration ideally suited to these routes,” he said.
Cobham, which currently operates QantasLink’s fleet of 13 Boeing 717 aircraft, will operate the five additional aircraft.
The 737s displaced on the route will be redeployed to other parts of the Qantas domestic network.
Gee I wonder if QF would have bothered upgrading their 717’s if Virgin hadn’t put business class in their E-Jets.
Scotch
says:
I thought VA were going to be getting rid of their E190s? And QF are getting rid of their 737-400s before the ADS-B mandate on 12 December hence why the 717s will be introduced?
PeterL
says:
The 737 is not a very economical aircraft to operate on short routes, particularly routes like Canberra – Sydney, hence the use of the Q400 at off peak times.
Also the 737s quiet often do not have a full load of passengers on any of these routes listed just to make matters worse. The 717 would be a much more profitable aircraft for Qantas to operate out of Canberra I suspect.
pez
says:
@Scotch, VA got rid of their E-170s, but kept the -190s.
Jason
says:
VA got rid of their E170’s, not the E190’s.
Ben
says:
Replacing the 734’s with 717’s works to a certain degree. But to replace the Q400 would probably just weaken the bottom line. On these sectors the Q400 is only marginally slower than the jet, but is much more miserly on the fuel! Same reason Virgin has the ATR on SYD-CBR now.
Russell M
says:
The last few QF sectors I’ve had to Canberra (and only when I can’t get onto VA for some reason) have been in 737-400s, I loved them back in 1992 when they were nice and new but crikey, how many sectors have they done now? Those rivets must be stretched to the max from so many pressurisations and de-press. I suspect some of the 737s displaced from the route will be going to the desert?
PS – LOVE the E190, business or economy, its a great a/c from the pax point of view.
Ben
says:
Now Cobham’s huge ad in Friday’s Australian seeking 717 pilots makes more sense…
iscover
Nikee
says:Gee I wonder if QF would have bothered upgrading their 717’s if Virgin hadn’t put business class in their E-Jets.
Scotch
says:I thought VA were going to be getting rid of their E190s? And QF are getting rid of their 737-400s before the ADS-B mandate on 12 December hence why the 717s will be introduced?
PeterL
says:The 737 is not a very economical aircraft to operate on short routes, particularly routes like Canberra – Sydney, hence the use of the Q400 at off peak times.
Also the 737s quiet often do not have a full load of passengers on any of these routes listed just to make matters worse. The 717 would be a much more profitable aircraft for Qantas to operate out of Canberra I suspect.
pez
says:@Scotch, VA got rid of their E-170s, but kept the -190s.
Jason
says:VA got rid of their E170’s, not the E190’s.
Ben
says:Replacing the 734’s with 717’s works to a certain degree. But to replace the Q400 would probably just weaken the bottom line. On these sectors the Q400 is only marginally slower than the jet, but is much more miserly on the fuel! Same reason Virgin has the ATR on SYD-CBR now.
Russell M
says:The last few QF sectors I’ve had to Canberra (and only when I can’t get onto VA for some reason) have been in 737-400s, I loved them back in 1992 when they were nice and new but crikey, how many sectors have they done now? Those rivets must be stretched to the max from so many pressurisations and de-press. I suspect some of the 737s displaced from the route will be going to the desert?
PS – LOVE the E190, business or economy, its a great a/c from the pax point of view.
Ben
says:Now Cobham’s huge ad in Friday’s Australian seeking 717 pilots makes more sense…