Alliance Airlines

Alliance Airlines Pty Limited is an Australian airline based in Brisbane, Queensland, with operational bases in Adelaide, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Townsville, Darwin, and Rockhampton. Alliance Airlines owns and operates a fleet of Fokker and Embraer jet aircraft: Fokker 70, Fokker 100 and Embraer 190. Alliance runs fly-in fly-out (FIFO) air charter services for the Australian mining and resources industry, as well as private aircraft charters throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia. Alliance also provides aircraft component sales and leasing worldwide.[3]

Not to be confused with the Indian carrier Alliance Air (India), the defunct Alliance Air (Uganda), Airline alliance or Star Alliance.

Alliance Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
QQ UTY UNITY
Founded5 April 2002
Operating bases
Fleet size61[1]
Destinations46[2]
Parent companyAlliance Aviation Services
HeadquartersBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
Key peopleSteve Padgett
(Non Executive Chairman)
Scott McMillan
(Managing Director)
Websitewww.allianceairlines.com.au

History

Alliance Airlines was established in 2002 when Brisbane based Queensland Airline Holdings acquired the AOC (Airline Operator Certificate) and assets of the dormant Flight West Airlines,[4] which had been established in May 1987 and ceased scheduled services in 2001. Alliance commenced operations with two Fokker 100 aircraft[5] and has since expanded its fleet and operational capabilities to service the growing demand from the mining and energy sector. It is a subsidiary of Alliance Aviation Services that was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2011 and now has over 590 employees.[6]

Alliance was recognised as the first aircraft operator in Australia to attain Flight Safety Foundation Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Gold Status in 2013[7]

In November 2015, Alliance announced the purchase of 6 Fokker 70 and 15 Fokker 100 aircraft from Austrian Airlines.[8] In 2016, the airline was recognised as the first regional aircraft operator in Australia to attain IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification.[9] In November 2018, Alliance was awarded CAPA Asia Pacific Regional Airline of the Year.[10]

In February 2019, Qantas acquired a 19.9% shareholding.[11][12]

In August 2020, Alliance announced a deal to purchase 14 Embraer E190 jets adding to their current fleet and then in December 2020 ordered a further 16 more Embraer E190 jets bringing their total to 30. The first E190, named Brazilian Lad was received by the airline on 29 October 2020 at Brisbane Airport and is expected to enter service in February 2021.

In May 2022, Alliance announced it had agreed terms to be taken over by Qantas. The deal was subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.[13] In April 2023, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission opposed the takeover.[14][15]

Services

Scheduled services
Alliance Airlines Embraer 190 at Melbourne
Alliance Airlines Fokker 70 at Perth
Alliance Airlines Fokker 100 at Bundaberg

As of Feb 2023, Alliance operates the following routes under its own name:[16]

  • Adelaide and Olympic Dam
  • Adelaide and Moomba
  • Adelaide and Ballera
  • Brisbane and Ballera
  • Brisbane and Cloncurry
  • Brisbane and Emerald
  • Brisbane and The Granites
  • Brisbane and Groote Eylandt
  • Brisbane and Moranbah
  • Brisbane and Moomba
  • Brisbane and Port Hedland
  • Brisbane and Rockhampton
  • Brisbane and Roma
  • Brisbane and Sunshine Coast
  • Brisbane and Trepell
  • Brisbane and Weipa
  • Cairns and Cloncurry
  • Cairns and Groote Eylandt
  • Cairns and Trepell
  • Perth and Barimunya
  • Perth and Busselton
  • Perth and Coondewanna
  • Perth and The Granites
  • Perth and Kalgoorlie
  • Perth and Laverton
  • Perth and Leinster
  • Perth and Leonora
  • Perth and Mount Keith
  • Perth and Newman
  • Perth and Onslow
  • Perth and Port Hedland (operated for BHP with seats made available to the public)
  • Perth and Telfer
  • Sunshine Coast and Emerald
  • Townsville and Cairns
  • Townsville and Cloncurry
  • Townsville and Phosphate Hill
  • Townsville and Trepell

Wet lease

Eight Embraer 190s will be wet leased to Qantas from mid 2021 under a 3 year deal to operate the following routes under the QantasLink brand:[17][18]

  • Adelaide and Alice Springs
  • Adelaide and Cairns
  • Adelaide and Canberra
  • Adelaide and Darwin
  • Adelaide and Gold Coast
  • Adelaide and Hobart
  • Adelaide and Townsville
  • Alice Springs and Darwin
  • Canberra and Darwin
  • Melbourne and Townsville
  • Sydney and Townsville

Alliance previously operated wet lease services to Virgin Australia.[19][20]

Fly-in fly-out

Alliance Airlines operates fly-in fly-out air services (FIFO) to over 20 mine sites and[21] services mining projects in Australia including Ballera, Cannington, Cloncurry, Cape Preston, Groote Eylandt, Leinster, Mount Keith, Olympic Dam, Phosphate Hill, Telfer, Barimunya, Coondewanna, Newman, Leonora, Century Mine and The Granites.[22]

Aircraft charters

Alliance Airlines provides aircraft charters throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia

Fleet

Current fleet

As of February 2023, the Alliance Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[1][23]

Alliance Airlines fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
J Y+ Y Total
Embraer 190 31 — 10 4 80 94 Former Copa Airlines aircraft.[24]
18 to be leased to QantasLink.[25]
2 6 8 80 99 Former American Airlines aircraft.[26]
— — — 112 112 Former Helvetic Airways aircraft.[27][28]
30 — — TBD TBD Former AerCap aircraft.[29]
Fokker 70 13 1 — — 80 80 (2 stored)
1 — 48 — — 48 VIP configuration.
Fokker 100 25 — — — 100 100
Total 70 33

Former fleet

Alliance Airlines has also previously operated the following aircraft types:[1]

See also

References
  1. "Alliance Airlines Fleet Details".
  2. "Where We Fly". www.allianceairlines.com.au.
  3. McMillan, Scott (12 December 2016). "Alliance executes extension of contract with CITIC Pacific Mining". Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. "Queensland Premier clears Alliance Airlines, Australia's newest carrier, for take off - Latest Travel News - July 2002 - ASIA Travel Tips.com". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  5. "Alliance Airlines - Our History". Alliance Airlines. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. "Alliance Airlines - Our People". Alliance Airlines. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. "BARS News - First aircraft operators achieve Gold registration status". Flight Safety. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  8. Schofield, Lee (25 November 2015). "Alliance Aviation creates new business and establishes a European presence" (PDF). Alliance Airlines. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  9. "IATA - Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd". IATA. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  10. "JAL, Thai Lion, Saudia, flyadeal scoop 2018 CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Awards for Excellence". CAPA - Centre for Aviation.
  11. Debrief Australian Aviation March 2019 page 15
  12. Qantas stake in Alliance Airlines raises concerns Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 1 August 2019
  13. Alliance enters scheme of implementation deed with Qantas Airways Limited Alliance Aviation Services 5 May 2022
  14. ACCC opposes Qantas' acquisition of Alliance Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 20 April 2023
  15. Competition watchdog rejects Qantas' acquisition of Alliance Sydney Morning Herald 20 April 2023
  16. "Where We Fly". www.allianceairlines.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  17. "NEW ROUTES, MORE FLIGHTS AS JETS TO CALL ADELAIDE HOME". Qantas. 7 May 2021.
  18. "QANTAS ADDS SEVEN NEW ROUTES AND PUTS DREAMLINER ON DOMESTIC". Qantas. 25 May 2021.
  19. "Alliance Airlines adds new routes in Queensland as Virgin prepares to close Brisbane ATR base". Australian Aviation. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  20. Hatch, Patrick (11 June 2020). "Alliance Aviation readies to buy 20 planes to fill Virgin void". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  21. "Alliance Airlines - Where We Fly". Alliance Airlines. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  22. Dyer, Matthew (12 September 2015). "Alliance Aviation signs new 5-year contract" (PDF). Alliance Airlines. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  23. Authority, Civil Aviation Safety (24 June 2021). "Aircraft register search". Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  24. "Alliance pounces on planes deal, buying 14 Embraer jets". The Australian. 3 August 2020.
  25. "Full Complement: Qantas Ups Its E190 Leases To 18 Planes". simpleflying.com. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  26. "Alliance scoop up another 16 Embraer E190 jets". Executive Traveller. 18 December 2020.
  27. "Alliance acquires an additional two E190 aircraft". AVIATOR. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  28. "Pionair Australia puts only E190 up for sale". www.ch-aviation.com. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  29. "Australia's Alliance Airlines To Receive 30 More Embraer E190s". simpleflying.com. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.

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