QantasLink’s Tasmanian roots as fleet transition picks up steam
With QantasLink ramping up its use of the larger A220 aircraft, its newest plane is rolling out of the paint shop stamped as the ‘Tasmanian Devil’. Here’s why.
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The ‘Tasmanian Devil’ gets everywhere, including QantasLink’s freshly painted, new Airbus A220.
A Canadian factory has been building the ‘Tasmanian Devil’, spray painting the name after it was voted on by the Australian public.
It’s one of 29 new planes gradually replacing QantasLink’s long-serving Boeing 717 fleet.
On Tuesday night, the first A220 flight between Sydney and Hobart is scheduled to land.
QantasLink chief executive Rachael Yangoyan confirmed the services to Hobart from Sydney and Melbourne were now operating with the A220.
“Hobart is on track to become the unofficial home of QantasLink’s Airbus A220 aircraft,” she said.
“With our Boeing 717 aircraft featuring the special Discover Tasmania livery and named, ‘The Tassie Devil’ to officially retire at the end of the month, it’s fitting that it will be replaced by a brand new A220 also called Tasmanian Devil.”
She said the aircraft had nearly double the range of the planes it was replacing, “so we’ll be able to take the Tasmanian Devil even further”.
QantasLink’s fleet renewal hasn’t all been smooth sailing, with criticism arising in September when the national carrier announced a quarter of flights would be axed from Devonport.
The provider responded a month later by reinstating two early morning flights that had been in line to be dropped.
On Tuesday, QantasLink confirmed it would operate up to 20 flights per week between Sydney and Hobart, while it already operates up to 26 weekly between Melbourne and Hobart.
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Originally published as QantasLink’s Tasmanian roots as fleet transition picks up steam
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