QantasLink Starts Operating Boeing 717s

[onlyboeingifly]

QantasLink Starts Operating Boeing 717s

QantasLink announced it has commenced Boeing 717 operations within Western Australia, with initial services operating between Perth and Port Hedland.

QantasLink will progressively replace its fleet of BAe 146 aircraft with newer Boeing 717s from the Jetstar fleet with eight 717s, operating in a 115-seat configuration, gradually replacing eight of QantasLink's 65- to 76-seat BAe 146s by January 2006.

The QantasLink 717s are being operated and maintained by Adelaide-based National Jet Systems.

QantasLink will continue to fly its remaining two BAe146 aircraft until the expiry of their leases in December 2006.

[babypurin]

source?

[DAL767-400ER]

More like "QantasLink Starts Operating Boeing 717s Again", as Imperial has been operating them as QantasLink years ago.

[AJ]

Originally Posted by DAL767-400ER

More like "QantasLink Starts Operating Boeing 717s Again", as Imperial has been operating them as QantasLink years ago.

It was Impulse Airlines previously, not 'Imperial'.

[onlyboeingifly]

Originally Posted by babypurin

source?

sorry...atwonline.com

[Greg]

How many times have those 717's been shuffled about?

[vojoboy]

Originally Posted by Greg

How many times have those 717's been shuffled about?

Their liveries have changed quite a few times. They were initially with Impulse then Jetstar and now Qantaslink.

[DAL767-400ER]

Originally Posted by AJ

It was Impulse Airlines previously, not 'Imperial'.

Impulse, Imperial, they had an awesome livery .

[ptbodale]

Well they have stayed in Australia. Keeps the paint shop guys employed. I like the 146 though.

[Legend_Airlines]

Were the Impulse 717s not painted into Qantaslink colours before being transferred to Jetstar anyways?

[ptbodale]

Yes they were. I saw the QANTASLink acft in MEL in January 2002.

[DAL767-400ER]

Originally Posted by Legend_Airlines

Were the Impulse 717s not painted into Qantaslink colours before being transferred to Jetstar anyways?

Yup, they were. Pretty many color changes. From Impulse to QFLink to Jetstar back to QF-Link within only 5 years IIRC

[vojoboy]

Originally Posted by ptbodale

Yes they were. I saw the QANTASLink acft in MEL in January 2002.

My bad! Yes they were re-badged as Qantaslink after the Impulse buy-out.

[IberiaMD-87]

Cobham has secured a contract for the operation of 13 Boeing 717s for QantasLink until 2018. QantasLink currently operates eleven Boeing 717s and two aircraft will be added for expansion from Brisbane. The current contract for the 717s was due to end in 2012.

Bye

[Gabriel]

I know where they can get a few additional bargain 717s if they need and want

[IberiaMD-87]

Really Let me think a little bit about that

[IberiaMD-87]

QantasLink introduced their first Boeing 717 with an upgraded cabin with a new configuration for 125 passengers, up from the 115 seats once familiar in their 717s.

Regards

[tsv]

Originally Posted by IberiaMD-87

QantasLink introduced their first Boeing 717 with an upgraded cabin with a new configuration for 125 passengers, up from the 115 seats once familiar in their 717s.

Regards

Depends on what you call "Upgraded". As a PAX I would say 115 seat cabin configured to 125 is a downgrade! Must be less legroom there somewhere.

But in line with modern trends probably a good business move to squeeze a few more Sardines in the Can.

[IberiaMD-87]

Depends on what you call "Upgraded".

You are right. I must admit that I copied this information from my official blog and I generally refuse to comment such developments with my own opinion

According to information available there will be no reduction of legroom due to new slim-line seats and the removement of the aft galley storage behind the last row of seats. The new layout also means a reduction of lavatories from three to two. In general the addition of capacity mostly result in a downgrade, regardless of the new seats because more passengers want to share the space available in the bins etc.. However I can understand that a company will always try to show improvements of a new configuration. For example Lufthansa praised the new layout of their 200-seat A321s but the fact is that galleys were removed and the number of lavatories shrunk. The A321 once had 182 seats, later 190 and currently 200. It is not an improvement to find enough space for hand-luggage for 18 additional people. On the other hand I fully understand Lufthansa as they want to maximize the efficiency of the A321 on a per-seat basis.

Even the 125-layout is not the maximum allowed on Boeing 717-200s but as far as I am concerned no operator configured the 717 with more than 125 seats since 1999. 125-seat Boeing 717 were and are rather common: Bangkok Air operated their 717s with 125 seats, Volotea welcome their guests aboard 125-seat 717s and Jetstar Airways operated the 717 with 125 seats too.

Here you can see the new layout of the 717 of QantasLink:

Seatingplan of the 125-seat QantasLink Boeing 717

Have a nice day!

[Gabriel]

Originally Posted by IberiaMD-87

Here you can see the new layout of the 717 of QantasLink:

Seatingplan of the 125-seat QantasLink Boeing 717

Only now that I see this layout do i notice that the 717 lacks both rear exits (one on the side and the other in the tail cone).

AFAIK, the DC-9 series 10 (a small DC-9 that even lacked slats) was certified for a maximum of 109 passengers with a total of 8 exits (including 4 overwing). The DC-9 50. (I think that they were built with 2 overwings too but with a lower allowed passenger capacity, 90 full economy and 72 mixed-class are more typical configurations).

What I'm getting wrong here?