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The tilt-rotor aircraft capable of both vertical take-off and landing and high-speed flight have been a familiar sight in the Top End for nearly a decade, supporting the annual Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) deployments.
With more than 500 participants across both air forces, the exercise – now in its 15th year – will run until 19 September, building upon the defence partnership established between Australia and Thailand in 1992.
Roy Morgan’s 2025 Trusted Brand Awards saw Australia’s second-largest airline group hold on to the crown it seized from Qantas in 2023, with hardware retailer Bunnings Warehouse named the most trusted brand in the country overall.
The 137-seat regional aircraft will replace the existing Embraer E190s on the service, as well as some 737s, starting in February 2026. Qantas is also planning to increase Sydney-Christchurch by up to two additional flights per week during February and March next year.
The low-cost carrier will operate a seasonal Brisbane–Queenstown service from June–October next year, alongside new daily flights from Hamilton–Christchurch starting 1 December 2025, and will add around 500,000 annual seats on popular trans-Tasman and NZ domestic routes.
The aircraft, which formerly flew for QantasLink as VH-YQW, will reside at Aviation Australia’s Brisbane Airport hangar, and will offer hands-on experience for students at the Qantas Group Engineering Academy. The plane saw its final flight in December last year.
PROFILES
Raising the Bar in Commercial Laundry: How Rinse & Repeat Is Redefining Service for Aviation
Raising the Bar in Commercial Laundry: How Rinse & Repeat Is Redefining Service for Aviation
UPRT Australia- Transforming Aviation’s Greatest Risk into Its Greatest Asset
UPRT Australia- Transforming Aviation’s Greatest Risk into Its Greatest Asset
