Qantas Accelerates Deployment of Additional E190s Through Wet-Lease with Alliance Airlines

Qantas is set to expedite the introduction of four Embraer E190 aircraft into its fleet, following an agreement to adjust the wet-lease terms with Alliance Airlines. This development, disclosed in a recent Australian Stock Exchange filing on February 27, marks a strategic move by the airline to enhance its service offerings on select routes across central and northern Australia. The decision to advance the service start dates of these aircraft comes as part of Qantas’s ongoing partnership with Alliance Airlines, which already sees twenty-two E190s serving the national carrier’s network.

Initially announced in October 2023, the agreement to expand Qantas’s E190 fleet to 26 aircraft through wet-lease arrangements has now seen an adjustment, with the additional jets slated to join Qantas operations by June 2024, several weeks ahead of the original schedule. This adjustment underscores Qantas’s commitment to optimizing its route efficiency and meeting passenger demand with the right aircraft capacity.

The collaboration between Qantas and Alliance Airlines also includes the potential for further expansion, with Qantas retaining options for an additional four E190s. Alliance Airlines Chairman Steve Padgett has expressed confidence in Qantas’s intention to exercise these options, potentially elevating the total number of E190s operated by Alliance for Qantas to thirty.

Alliance Airlines boasts a diverse fleet, as per ch-aviation fleets data, comprising twenty-nine ERJ 190-100ARs, three ERJ 190-100LRs, along with Fokker 100s and Fokker 70s. The airline is in the process of significantly growing its E190 fleet to 63 units, incorporating thirty ex-JetBlue Airways E190s acquired from AerCap, which began arriving in November 2023. In addition to servicing Qantas routes, Alliance deploys six E190s on its proprietary network and supports Airnorth (Australia) with three wet-leased E190s.

This strategic fleet enhancement through the early deployment of additional E190s allows Qantas to further refine its network strategy, offering improved connectivity and travel options for passengers across Australia. As Qantas and Alliance Airlines continue to build on their collaborative efforts, passengers can look forward to experiencing the benefits of a more versatile and efficiently managed flight schedule.