Qantas is embracing the Embraer E190. In a just-announced deal with Alliance Airlines, Embraers will start flying for the QantasLink brand from mid-2021. Alliance Airlines has recently taken delivery of Embraer E190s to supplement its fleet of Fokkers used on charter, resource, and regular passenger service work. Qantas will initially access three of those E190s and base them in Darwin and Adelaide.
“The E190 is a perfect mid-size regional jet for routes like these ones in northern Australia. It has longer range than our 717s, and it’s about half the size of our 737s, which means the economics work well on longer flights between cities and towns outside of the top five population centers,” said CEO of QantasLink, John Gissing.
A three-year deal that will see QantasLink fly up to 14 Embraers
QantasLink primarily operates regional and skinny flights in Australia that connect to mainline Qantas flights in the bigger airports. QantasLink presently has 76 planes in service, ranging from DHC-8 Dash 8s to Boeing 717s and Airbus A320s.
The initial Embraer deal runs for three years. The aircraft is expected to start flying for Qantas in June, but Mr Gissing notes the exact start date will depend on the rate of recovery in travel demand. There is also the option to secure an additional 11 Embraers, but QantasLink can also “switch off” capacity depending on market conditions.
Alliance Airlines has recently purchased 27 Embraer E190s. They are former Copa Airlines and American Airlines aircraft. So far, just three E190s have landed at Alliance’s Brisbane HQ, with the remainder due over the next couple of years.
Qantas maximizes longstanding relationship with Alliance Airlines
With Qantas already owning 20% of Alliance Airlines and reportedly keen to increase its stake in it, the Embraer deal is a natural fit. Less natural is Alliance’s work (including wet leases) with Qantas’ arch competitor Virgin Australia. To date, Qantas has kept its stake in Alliance Airlines at arm’s length, giving the smaller airline the airspace to do what it does well – make money. Today’s announcement draws on that longstanding but under the radar relationship.
“We’ve worked with Alliance for many years, and they have flown literally thousands of flights for Qantas over that time, with the same service and standards that customers expect when they buy a Qantas ticket,” said the QantasLink CEO.
A canny move by Qantas
While the deal will see up to half of Alliance’s E190 out on lease, making money for Alliance Airlines, it’s also a canny move by Qantas. Outside the big east coast airports and key regional hubs like Cairns and the Gold Coast, finding the rightsized aircraft for smaller capital city airports and centers like Alice Springs can be tricky. The Qantas workhorse, the Boeing 737-800 can be too big for the route. To date, Qantas has never had true smaller regional jets to complement the 737 product, often deploying 717-200s into the role.