Alliance Airlines (QQ, Brisbane International) will take over several regional routes in Queensland from Virgin Australia (VA, Brisbane International) in July. As previously announced by Virgin, as part of plans to reduce its ATR72 fleet it will no longer operate ATR72 turboprops in Queensland but instead move the aircraft further south to operations serving the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales, and Victoria.
Starting July 17, Alliance will take over Virgin Australia's routes from Brisbane International to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Moranbah and Port Macquarie, according to a report by Australian Aviation. Alliance will deploy Fokker 70 jets on these routes. In addition, Alliance has also entered into a wet-lease agreement with Virgin Australia to operate the latter's routes from Brisbane to Cloncurry, QL, Mount Isa and Rockhampton for 12 months.
Going forward, the only routes within Queensland still operated by Virgin Australia itself will be Brisbane to Cairns, Hamilton Island, Mackay, Proserpine and Townsville.
Alliance will increase its operational fleet by three aircraft as a result of the transaction using ex-Austrian Airlines (OS, Vienna) aircraft that the carrier has recently acquired. Virgin Australia will continue to codeshare on the four routes to be completely transferred to Alliance. As part of its fleet streamlining plans Virgin Australia will retire its six ATR72-500s and reduce its ATR72-600 fleet down from eight to six units.
