Link Airways
{{Short description|Australian airline}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Link Airways
| logo = Link Airways Logo, Jaunary 2021.svg
| image = Link Airways (VH-VEC) Saab 340B, in Link Airways livery, at Wagga Wagga Airport.jpg
| caption = A Link Airways Saab 340B at Wagga Wagga Airport
| IATA = FC
| ICAO = -
| callsign = FLY CORP
| parent = Corporate Air
| founded = 2016
| headquarters = Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory
| key_people = Andrew Major (CEO)
Andrew Webb (COO)
| fleet_size = 18
| destinations = 16
| website = [https://www.linkairways.com/ www.linkairways.com]
| aoc =
| hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer = Velocity Frequent Flyer{{Cite web |title=Velocity Frequent Flyer|url=https://www.linkairways.com/book/velocity-frequent-flyer |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Link Airways|archive-date=30 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830134109/https://www.linkairways.com/book/velocity-frequent-flyer |url-status=live }}
| num_employees =
}}
Vee H Aviation Pty Ltd, operating as Link Airways, formerly known as Fly Corporate, is an Australian regional airline based at Brisbane Airport, Queensland. The airline operates scheduled regional passenger services in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Link Airways operates a fleet of Saab 340B Plus and Fairchild Metro 23 turboprop aircraft.{{cite web|url=https://flycorporate.com.au/about-us/fleet/|publisher=flycorporate.com.au|title=Our Fleet | Fly Corporate|access-date=23 September 2016|archive-date=24 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924032649/https://flycorporate.com.au/about-us/fleet/|url-status=live}}
Overview
Launching in 2016 under the Fly Corporate brand, the airline was established by parent company Corporate Air, an air charter company that has been operating since 1972, to fly scheduled air services. The airline bases its aircraft at Brisbane Airport and Canberra Airport, from where it operates to regional destinations across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. It has its own heavy maintenance facility at Goulburn Airport in New South Wales.{{cite web|url=https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/link-airways-fc|title=Link Airways Airline Profile|publisher=Centre for Aviation|accessdate=16 February 2023|archive-date=16 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216130453/https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/link-airways-fc|url-status=live}}
History
The first scheduled route announced under the Fly Corporate brand was from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour.[https://web.archive.org/web/20240119172653/https://www.linkairways.com/about-us/news/2016/03/01/Announcement-Of-Direct-Flights-Between-Coffs-Harbour-And-Brisbane Announcement of Direct Flight Between Coffs Harbour and Brisbane] Link Airways 11 March 2016 During 2016, more routes were added from Brisbane to major centres in the New England and North West Slopes regions of New South Wales. The airline used a mixture of four Saab 340s and two Metroliners to serve this network.{{cite web|url=https://worldofaviation.com/2016/11/fly-corporate-begins-brisbane-tamworth-flights/|title=Fly Corporate begins Brisbane-Tamworth flights|publisher=World of Aviation|date=1 November 2016|access-date=19 January 2024|archive-date=19 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119054523/https://worldofaviation.com/2016/11/fly-corporate-begins-brisbane-tamworth-flights/|url-status=live}}
In September 2018, the airline successfully tendered to operate flights from Wollongong to Brisbane and Essendon in Melbourne, restoring both the city's air links that were lost when the previous carrier JetGo collapsed in June of that year.{{cite web |title=New passenger flight provider for Illawarra airport announced |date=4 September 2018 |url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5627131/new-passenger-flight-provider-for-illawarra-airport-announced/ |publisher=Illawarra Mercury |access-date=5 September 2018 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404130114/https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5627131/new-passenger-flight-provider-for-illawarra-airport-announced/ |url-status=live }} Fly Corporate also began operating other former JetGo routes including to Orange and Dubbo from Essendon.{{cite news|url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/11/fly-corporate-begins-flights-from-wollongong/|title=Fly Corporate begins flights from Wollongong|publisher=Australian Aviation|date=12 November 2018|accessdate=19 January 2024|archive-date=19 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119054522/https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/11/fly-corporate-begins-flights-from-wollongong/|url-status=live}}
On 11 August 2020 the company rebranded from Fly Corporate to Link Airways.{{Cite web|date=11 August 2020|title=Fly Corporate re-brands as Link Airways|url=https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/6874596/fly-corporate-re-brands-as-link-airways/|access-date=27 September 2020|website=Inverell Times|language=en|archive-date=11 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211081647/https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/6874596/fly-corporate-re-brands-as-link-airways/|url-status=live}}
In October 2020, Link Airways announced that it would begin scheduled flights between Canberra and Hobart (6 days per week){{Cite web|date=2020-10-01|title=Canberra Airport secures more flights as tourism opens up|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6949935/canberra-airport-secures-more-flights-as-tourism-opens-up/|access-date=2020-10-21|website=Canberra Times|language=en|archive-date=10 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210172230/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6949935/canberra-airport-secures-more-flights-as-tourism-opens-up/|url-status=live}} as well as Canberra and Newcastle (11 times per week). On 30 January 2022 Link Airways commenced operating flights for Virgin Australia on the Sydney to Canberra route under a wet lease arrangement.
On 18 January 2024, Virgin Australia announced it would codeshare with Link on 17 regional routes, including ten destinations from Brisbane, three from Melbourne and two each from Canberra and Sydney.{{cite news|url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2024/01/virgin-expands-eastern-regional-footprint-with-link-codeshare-tie-up/|title=Virgin expands eastern regional footprint with Link codeshare tie-up|publisher=Australian Aviation|last=Nelson|first=Jake|date=18 January 2024|archive-date=17 January 2024|access-date=17 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117233734/https://australianaviation.com.au/2024/01/virgin-expands-eastern-regional-footprint-with-link-codeshare-tie-up/|url-status=live}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20240118075104/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/virgin-expands-regional-footprint-amid-ipo-uncertainty-20240118-p5eyem.html Virgin expands regional footprint amid IPO uncertainty] Sydney Morning Herald 18 January 2024 In the lead up to this announcement, Link Airways moved its Melbourne terminal from Essendon to Tullamarine on 7 January.[https://web.archive.org/web/20240119080417/https://www.linkairways.com/Plan-Your-Travel/Airport-Information/melbourne-tullamarine-airport-terminal-4 Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport Terminal 4] Link Airways
Fleet
File:Link Airways (VH-VEK) Fairchild Swearingen SA227-DC Metroliner taxiing at Sydney Airport (3).jpg in October 2020]]
File:Link Airways (VH-VEB) Saab 340B landing at Canberra Airport (4).jpg in November 2020]]
As of July 2022, the Link Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft:{{cite web|url=https://www.regosearch.com/search/results/?&co=au&Nf4=regholdname&Of4=eq&Vf4=VEE+H+AVIATION+PTY+LTD.&adv=on|publisher=regosearch.com|title=RegoSearch | Aircraft Registration Search|access-date=11 July 2022|archive-date=12 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812151415/https://www.regosearch.com/search/results/?&co=au&Nf4=regholdname&Of4=eq&Vf4=VEE+H+AVIATION+PTY+LTD.&adv=on|url-status=live}}
| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto;"
|+ Link Airways fleet |
| Aircraft
! In-service ! Orders ! Passengers |
|---|
| Cessna 441 Conquest
|style="text-align:center;"|4 |style="text-align:center;"|— |style="text-align:center;"|N/A |
| Fairchild Metro 23
|style="text-align:center;"|3 |style="text-align:center;"|— |style="text-align:center;"|19 |
| SAAB 340B Plus
|style="text-align:center;"|11 |style="text-align:center;"|— |style="text-align:center;"|34 |
| Total
!18 !— ! |
Destinations
Link Airways operates to the following destinations:[https://www.linkairways.com/Plan-Your-Travel/Airport-Information Airport information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119080504/https://www.linkairways.com/Plan-Your-Travel/Airport-Information |date=19 January 2024 }} Link Airways
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
- Australian Capital Territory
- Canberra
- New South Wales
- Armidale
- Coffs Harbour
- Dubbo
- Inverell
- Narrabri
- Newcastle
- Orange
- Sydney{{cite web|url=http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/273809/flycorporate-adds-sydney-service-from-sep-2017/|title=FlyCorporate adds Sydney service from Sep 2017|publisher=routesonline|access-date=14 July 2017|archive-date=22 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722035941/http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/273809/flycorporate-adds-sydney-service-from-sep-2017/|url-status=live}}
- Tamworth{{cite web|url=http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/269083/flycorporate-adds-brisbane-tamworth-service-from-nov-2016/|title=FlyCorporate adds Brisbane – Tamworth service from Nov 2016|publisher=routesonline|access-date=26 September 2016|archive-date=28 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928162004/http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/269083/flycorporate-adds-brisbane-tamworth-service-from-nov-2016/|url-status=live}}
- Wollongong
- Queensland
- Brisbane
- Biloela
- Bundaberg
- Tasmania
- Hobart
- Victoria
- Melbourne (Tullamarine){{cite web|url=https://www.linkairways.com/destinations/melbourne|title=For all Melbourne flights from 7 January 2024 onwards|website=Link Airways|access-date=14 December 2023}}
{{Div col end}}
Incidents and accidents
- On 21 November 2022, a Link Airways Saab 340B, registered VH-VEQ operating on behalf of Virgin Australia as flight VA-633 from Canberra to Sydney made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff. While accelerating on the runway, a ratchet strap used to secure the left-hand propeller while the aircraft is on the ground penetrated the side of the fuselage into the passenger cabin. The strap had not been removed before flight by the crew. The airline reported that the crew stopped the climb as soon as they became aware of the damage and aircraft landed safely seven minutes after departure, with no injuries to passengers.{{cite web|url=https://avherald.com/h?article=500d98be|title=Accident: Link SF34 at Canberra on Nov 10th 2022, propeller strap penetrates cabin in flight|author=Simon Hradecky|publisher=The Aviation Herald|date=10 November 2022|accessdate=12 February 2023|archive-date=12 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212053642/https://avherald.com/h?article=500d98be|url-status=live}} However, the Australian Federal Police reported that three passengers had been treated for minor injuries after landing.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} The Australian Transport Safety Bureau classified the occurrence as a serious incident and opened an investigation. The final report subsequently confirmed that one passenger had been injured by debris that penetrated the cabin. The ATSB investigation identified four safety issues related to flight preparation and ground handling procedures by both Link Airways and contracted ground services provider Swissport.{{cite web|url=https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2023/report/ao-2022-055|title=Aircraft preparation occurrence involving SAAB 340B, registration VH-VEQ, at Canberra Airport, ACT on 10 November 2022|work=AO-2022-055|publisher=Australian Transport Safety Bureau|accessdate=9 May 2024|archive-date=12 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212053635/https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2023/report/ao-2022-055|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Vee H Aviation}}
- {{Official website|https://www.linkairways.com/}}
{{Portalbar|Australia|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Australia}}
{{Regional Aviation Association of Australia}}
Category:Airlines established in 2016
Category:Australian companies established in 2016
Category:Airlines of Australia