Aviation news international – Established Western Australia-based operator Aviair (GD, Kununurra) will launch Nexus Airlines (GD, Kununurra) in July, offering scheduled passenger flights using DHC-8-Q400s between Perth International and Geraldton, WA, and soon after between northwest airports and Darwin. The launch is supported by subsidies of approximately AUD8 million Australian dollars (USD5.33 million) from state and local governments.
In March, ch-aviation reported that Aviair had registered the Nexus Airlines brand name and was acquiring DHC-8-Q400s. The report identified two aircraft going to the airline, VH-8XN (msn 4302) and VH-8XS (msn 4324). Both aircraft come on leases from Nordic Aviation Capital and have ferried to Australia. Reportedly, Nexus plans to ferry in another three DHC-8-Q400s.
The Western Australia government’s Inter-Regional Flight Network (IRFN) subsidy scheme is contributing AUD4 million (USD2.66 million) towards launching the intrastate passenger flights to improve connectivity in the sparsely populated 2.646 million km² state. The City of Greater Geraldton, City of Karratha, Town of Port Hedland, and Shire of Broome local governments, along with Broome and…
Solomon Airlines in talks for second A320
16.05.2023 – 03:20 UTCSolomons – Solomon Airlines (IE, Honiara) is looking to secure a second A320-200 to capitalise on demand for travel to Honiara for the 17th Pacific Games later this year. Solomon Airlines CEO Gus Kraus told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Commission that a letter of intent (LOI) had been signed with the lessor and lease negotiations were expected to commence shortly.
If the lease proceeds, it will provide the state-owned carrier with its second jet aircraft and offer some much needed capacity when the other aircraft goes out of service. Kraus did not provide specific information on the incoming aircraft, other than saying it was former Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) Airbus stock, and that he hoped to have it by July or August.
“The purchase will see us having a new modern airplane that is under 10 years old,” he said. “That’s the newest airplane we’ve got.” Solomon Airlines currently operates a fleet of five aircraft, including one 18.04 year-old A320-200, one 31.79 year-old DHC-8-100, and three DHC-6-300s variously aged…
Competition czar blocks Qantas takeover of Alliance Airlines
20.04.2023 – 07:36 UTCThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will block the bid by Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) to acquire a 100% stake in Alliance Airlines (QQ, Brisbane International), saying the deal would likely substantially lessen competition among resource industry customers in Western Australia and Queensland.
In response to the April 20, 2023, decision, Qantas say it is seeking more information from the regulator and has sought a meeting to “understand its decision.” Qantas already owns a 19.9% stake in Alliance Airlines and in May 2022 announced its intention to acquire the remaining 80.1%.
“We consider Alliance to be an important competitor to Qantas,” said ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. “Qantas and Alliance currently strongly compete with each other in markets where there are few effective alternatives. The proposed acquisition would combine two of the largest suppliers of charter services in Western Australia and Queensland. Flying workers in the resources industry to and from their worksites is an essential service for this important part of the Australian economy, so it is critical that competition in…
source: https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/131259-australias-network-aviation-to-take-a319s