Traffic #392 | First Airbus A220 arrives Down Under

The new jet is currently undergoing test flights and crew familiarisation processes as it ticks the final regulatory boxes to fly. It’s the first of 29 A220s on order for Qantas, the first batch of which will don QantasLink livery and replace the airline’s Boeing 717 fleet. While the initial deliveries will replace the airline group’s regional fleet, the A220’s fuel efficiency and range – which allows it to connect any two points on mainland Australia – will open up the prospect for greater domestic and short-haul international operations. A word of warning to unprepared flyers though, as new reports suggest that the Qantas A220 has not been fitted with IFE systems but is configured for passenger Wi-Fi connectivity.

Elsewhere in the fleet, Qantas welcomed its second Airbus A330 P2F converted freighter. VH-EBE was ferried from Dresden, Germany on 19 December, bound for Melbourne Tullamarine via Gimhae International Airport in South Korea. VH-EBE touched back down in Melbourne on 24 December. Notably, the aircraft had been a longstanding member of Qantas passenger fleet for 17 years before its freight conversion. The airline last year announced plans to convert two of its passenger A330s into freighters due to post-pandemic market demands for e-commerce. Both wide-body conversions were undertaken by Airbus and ST Engineering’s Dresden-based MRO and freight conversion joint venture, EFW.

New MAXs for Virgin before US grounding

While Qantas has majorly shifted focus to an Airbus-centric fleet, rival Virgin Australia continues to back the Boeing 737 MAX. The Brisbane-based airline announced in November that it would increase its original order for 737 MAX 8 by 75 per cent from eight jets to 14. It joins the airline’s standing order for 25 of the slighter larger 737 MAX 10 variants.

The expanded MAX order announcement was made on the day that Virgin welcomed its third MAX jet, VH-8IB, to its burgeoning fleet. The aircraft, dubbed ‘Bronte Beach’, was flown from Boeing’s Seattle-based factory to Melbourne, Florida – yes, about 4,000km in the wrong direction – on 9 November, before circling back to Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii. Setting off again, VH-8IB was delivered to Virgin’s Brisbane HQ on 24 November and officially entered into passenger service three days later.

The decision marks yet another vote of confidence from Virgin’s corporate backers Bain Capital, which purchased the airline out of administration in November 2020. At that time, Bain had plans to grow Virgin’s post-pandemic fleet to 58 aircraft, however, the newly-increased MAX order will now see the airline flying 123 aircraft.

Despite Virgin’s strong post-COVID position, the MAX decision looks less shiny now, after another major Boeing 737 MAX safety incident. On 5 January, an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9’s ‘door plug’ – which takes the place of an emergency exit door in certain passenger seat configurations – blew out of the aircraft and fell to the ground, minutes after take-off, leaving an exposed hole in the fuselage in its place. Thankfully, the flight crew were able to land the plane with relative ease and no casualties, thanks in part to the fact that passengers were still strapped into their seats. Investigations were quick to locate a possible fault within the supply chain and installation of plug doors for the MAX variants, with inspections quickly mandated across affected aircraft.

After a brief grounding to inspect the relevant aircraft, the US Federal Aviation Administration and Alaska Airlines have both reinstated approved flight schedules for the 737 MAX 9, however, the incident has once again brought into question the safety of the 737 MAX brand and left an imprint on the travelling public’s psyche.

Canadian MAX in Aussie skies for Bonza

Speaking of the MAX, a Canadian Boeing 737 MAX, registered C-FLKC, has been spotted in a strange Bonza-Flair hybrid livery at Gold Coast airport. The aircraft was ferried from Calgary, Canada to the Gold Coast in mid-November, as part of a reciprocal wet-lease agreement between Bonza and Flair Airlines. Both are owned by American private investment firm 777 Partners.

Planespotters will notice that the aircraft has been painted in a very unique manner, boasting aspects of both Flair and Bonza’s livery, and has been dubbed Flonza by some on Twitter/X. While the tailfin is decidedly Bonza’s iconic purple logo, much of the rest of the plane appears to be Flair’s paintwork. Towards the front of the jet, the Bonza logo is again emblazoned, though certain angles suggest this to be more akin to a sticker than a paint job. From below, Bonza’s website can be read, however, Flair’s signature bright green engines could spark some confusion from faraway onlookers.

Jetstar A320 out of service after ute fender bender

A Jetstar Airbus A320, registered VH-VGJ, was briefly withdrawn from service after colliding with an airport utility ute on Monday, 22 January. According to safety reports, a single driver in a Mitsubishi Triton airport security ute crashed into the right-side engine of the VH-VGJ around 5:30am on the day of the incident, causing major damage to the vehicle and trapping the driver temporarily.

At the time of the incident, the A320 was not carrying passengers, having flown in the night before, and was being towed to a gate in preparation for its first passenger flight for the day. Following the incident, the plane was withdrawn from service for inspection and repair and was kept on the ground in Sydney for five days. Photos from the scene show that the ute certainly made an impact on the engine, with numerous scratches, indents, and minor holes visible in the engine’s rear. However, it’s safe to say that the engine successfully did more damage to the car, which had its windshield smashed and part of its front cab crushed.

Thankfully, despite the damage, on-site emergency services were able to free the ute driver, who sustained only minor injuries. The driver was brought to the Prince of Wales Hospital for assessment. Meanwhile, following necessary repair works, VH-VGJ was reinstated to service on 27 January.

Aussie airlines back Pride

Jetstar has revealed a brand new rainbow-themed special livery, now sported by one of its A320s, VH-VFY. The new livery, which includes a rainbow Jetstar star and the words ‘Flying with Pride’, was painted to mark Melbourne’s annual queer arts and culture festival, Midsumma, of which Jetstar is the official partner airline for the eighth year in a row.

To mark the occasion, Jetstar threw an unveiling party at its Melbourne hangar, with numerous drag artists welcomed to perform. Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said the livery and support for Midsumma mark the Qantas Group’s commitment to inclusion.

“There’s a seat for everyone at Jetstar, no matter how you identify, and this inclusive spirit is now on display more publicly than ever,” she said.

Meanwhile, Virgin has announced the seats are now on sale for its own fourth annual Pride Flight. This year, three Pride Flights will operate from both Brisbane and Melbourne, bound for Sydney. The flights will depart on Friday, 1 March 2024 to transport attendees to the final weekend and parade of the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, with $30 from each ticket to be donated to Minus18, a charity that focuses on improving the lives of young LGBT folk in Australia.

The flights will be operated and staffed by LGBTQIA+ or allied crew, with live entertainment and drag performances scheduled both on the ground and in the air. Flights from Melbourne will bear the flight number VA1978, to the year of Sydney’s first Mardi Gras Parade, while the Brisbane to Sydney flight number, VA2017, is in honour of the year that same-sex marriage became legalised in Australia.