New Australian regional carrier Alliance Airlines began operations last week when the first of its former Flight West Airlines Fokker 100s was unveiled in its new colour scheme. The airline was created after Flight West, which entered voluntary liquidation in May last year, was bought by Australian consortium Queensland Airline Holdings in April.
According to Alliance managing director Scott McMillan, the airline will initially serve Queensland coastal cities. Flights from Brisbane and Sydney to Norfolk Island will begin in September. It will also fly contract services from Townsville to mining resources sites in western Queensland, and will be available for charter flights. "We are confident about the future, and it is our intention to progressively expand our network and our fleet of Fokker 100 aircraft," says McMillan. Alliance will repaint three other aircraft in its fleet - a second Fokker 100 and two Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias - and is looking for additional Fokker 100s to meet expansion plans.
Source: Flight International
