QantasLink’s Network Aviation unit in Perth has received its first owned Embraer E190, VH-E9A, starting the replacement of its ageing Fokker 100 fleet in Western Australia. The aircraft arrived after a ferry flight from Norwich and is due to enter commercial service in January 2027.
The delivery is the first of up to 14 mid-life E190s planned for Network Aviation, the wholly owned Qantas subsidiary that operates fly-in, fly-out charter and regional services from Perth. QantasLink already flies E190s in Australia through Alliance Airlines wet-lease arrangements, but this is the first one owned by the Qantas group for the Perth-based fleet.
The new aircraft is expected to support improved reliability, lower fuel burn and better passenger comfort than the Fokker 100s it will replace. It will also feed into local pilot, cabin crew and engineer training in Western Australia. The fleet plan is to retire the Fokker 100s progressively rather than add capacity outright, with the aircraft set to undergo cabin and Wi-Fi upgrades before entry into service.