Jake Nelson

While QantasLink wet-leases E190s from Alliance in the eastern states, VH-E9A – which touched down in Perth on Monday – is the first of the E-Jets to be owned by the airline itself, with up to 14 of the mid-life aircraft on order to replace Network’s ageing Fokker 100 fleet.

Flight QF122 from Queenstown to Sydney on Saturday, operated by VH-VZQ (similar aircraft pictured), landed safely in Christchurch after passengers reportedly heard loud bangs and saw flames from its left-hand engine. Engineers arrived in Christchurch on Sunday to inspect the aircraft.

In an open letter on the ATSB’s website, its chief commissioner Angus Mitchell discussed the recent high-profile “near-misses” in Sydney, noting that travellers, aviation workers and the broader community “all rightly expect Australia’s aviation system to operate safely and reliably”.

The firm has completed a $30 million Qantas- and Airbus-backed funding round alongside securing the development approval for the landmark project, and has also won the support of global energy and manufacturing company Posco International as a strategic investor.

Set to arrive over four years from 2028, the new aircraft – replacing the existing King Air 200 fleet – will be fitted out with a bespoke Aeromedical Mission System (AMS) from Sunshine Coast-based company HeliMods.

Opening on 6 October, the free drop-off zone on level 3 of the T123 transport hub will provide “significantly more space” than the current departures ramp, which is prone to congestion, while the free level 2 pick-up zone will offer around 100 undercover parking spaces close to toilets.