Queensland-based regional carrier Skytrans is looking to fly between Brisbane and Gladstone using a 15-seat Stralis B1900D-HE, which is a modified Beechcraft 1900D turboprop plane designed and built in Brisbane by Stralis Aircraft. The engines and kerosene fuel system will be replaced by a Hydrogen Electric Propulsion System (HEPS) and liquid hydrogen storage tank, which will emit only water vapour.

An ATSB report into the incident revealed that during the flight the crew descended from 34,000 ft to 28,000 ft due to turbulence, but that resulted in the aircraft using more fuel than planned. A fuel mayday was declared to secure a priority landing.

The daily Boeing 737 service will begin on 17 August, and adds to Rex’s existing Saab 340 regional services to Burnie, Devonport, and King Island. The 75-minute flights will depart Melbourne at 12:15pm to arrive in Hobart at 1:30, before leaving at 2:15pm to touch down in Melbourne at 3:30.

In an interview at IATA’s annual general meeting in Istanbul, Hrdlicka said that while slots are “mostly OK”, the current arrangement is making it difficult for airlines to juggle unexpected events as it returns to normal.