A soon to be disappearing operator...

Another picture from the weekend is the soon to be disappearing [from New Zealand skies at least] operator, Eastern Australia Airlines, operating for Jetstar, and their Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQL.

These DHC-8's will be leaving New Zealand at the end of this month and [presumably] returning to Australia.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQL, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines/ Jetstar

Three DHC8s at Wellington

More pictures from last Sunday, this time of three Bombardier DHC8's. The first two are from Air Nelson [Air NZ].

ZK-NEE is still in the "old" Air NZ Link livery.

Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NEE, operated by Air Nelson [Air NZ]

ZK-NEA is in the new livery.

Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NEA, operated by Air Nelson [Air NZ]

Lastly, a livery that will be disappearing at the end of this month, is the Jetstar livery on the Eastern Australia Airlines-operated DHC-8's. Jetstar is pulling all of it's regional routes in NZ. I expect that these aircraft will therefore return to Australia.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQD, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines for Jetstar

Eastern Australia Airlines DHC8

From last Sunday at Wellington, here is an Eastern Australia Airlines-operated Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-SBI, departing Wellington on a regular Jetstar service.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-SBI, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines for Jetstar

Commonality...

Here are three photos from Sunday afternoon. Like Saturday, there were disruptions for fog, but the flights were arriving and departing by the time I took these [obviously...!].

Can you see the common factor in all of these flights? Can you perhaps explain why? You might need to click on the pictures and look closely.

Airbus A320-232, ZK-OXF, operated by Air NZ

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQL, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines/ Jetstar

Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NEZ, operated by Air Nelson/ Air NZ

An all white DHC8 and a Singaporean 777

Last weekend I got my first photos of the plain white livery of Eastern Australia Airlines [think Jetstar in NZ] operated Bombardier DHC8-315Q, VH-SBW.

Bombardier DHC8-315Q, VH-SBW, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines for Jetstar

Bombardier DHC8-315Q, VH-SBW, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines for Jetstar

Next up is the arrival of the Singapore Airlines flight from Canberra. It's a Boeing 777-212/ER, 9V-SRM. I hear rumour [just rumour at this stage mind you, nothing to back it up right now] that the B777 might be replaced by a B787 Dreamliner in the next 12-18 months. If the rumour is true, business users in particular will like this given the aging state of the current fitout.

Boeing 777-212/ER, 9V-SRM, operated by Singapore Airlines

Eastern Australia Airlines/ Jetstar departure

Here is another picture from last Wellington Airport last Sunday. This is an Eastern Australia Airlines-operated Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-SBI, which is operated on behalf of Jetstar Airways,

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-SBI, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Final pictures from Auckland

This is the final set of photos from my brief visit to Auckland International last Sunday.

First up are two photos of an Air Asia X-operated Airbus A330-300, 9M-XXV.

Airbus A330-300, 9M-XXV, operated by Air Asia X

Airbus A330-300, 9M-XXV, operated by Air Asia X

Next up is a smaller aircraft, an Eastern Australia Airlines-operated Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQK. As can be seen, these aircraft are operating the Jetstar regional flights in New Zealand.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQK, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Back to the heavy metal and we have an increasingly rare Boeing 767-319, ZK-NCI. Air NZ is withdrawing these aircraft as additional B787-9's arrive, so it won't be long until the they are all gone. From what I can tell, Air NZ [the only NZ-based operator of the type] only has 4 left on the books.

Boeing 767-319, ZK-NCI, operated by Air NZ

Last up is a common as mud Airbus A320-232, ZK-OJB, which is [quite obviously] operated by Air NZ. This aircraft is operated on their pacific regional routes [Australia and some pacific islands]. At some stage, these aircraft will be replaced by A320NEOs and also an A321NEO.

Airbus A320-232, ZK-OJB, operated by Air NZ.

Wet and windy today

Today was [as forecast] wet and windy, so no club flying. It did make for a few interesting photos, the first of which are these four photos of Jetstar departures.

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGP, operated by Jetstar Airways

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQK, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines [on behalf of Jetstar Airways]

Airbus A320-232, VH-VFT, operated by Jetstar Airways

Airbus A320-232, VH-VQE, operated by Jetstar Airways

A DHC8 and an ATR72

Last Saturday, in between the brief excitement of the returning ATR72, I shot these pictures of a Eastern Australia Airlines-operated DHC8 and a Mount Cook Airline/ Air NZ-operated ATR72.

As you can see, it was a bit gloomy all day, although until you went north, the cloud was high enough for most of the Aero Club's activities, with only a light breeze and the threatened rain not eventuating. All-in-all, a nice day for a fly for those that did get up.

First up is an Eastern Australia Airlines-operated [Jetstar branded] Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQL taking off.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQL, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Next up is an ATR-GIE ATR72-212A, ZK-MVD, which is operated by Mount Cook Airline [Air NZ].

ATR-GIE ATR72-212A, ZK-MVD, operated by Mount Cook Airline/ Air NZ

A couple more Sunday pictures

Just a quick post with two more pictures from this Sunday afternoon at the Aero Club.

First up is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTE, which is operated by the Massey University School of Aviation.

Diamond DA40, ZK-MTE, operated by Massey University School of Aviation

Next up is a Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, which is operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar. Slightly unusally this aircraft lined up and departed from stub taxiway A9 instead of full length before heading off to Nelson.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

A Jetstar day at Wellington today

Today's photos are of some Jetstar aircraft arriving and departing Wellington today.

First up are three photos of a Jetstar-operated Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, which is in the airline's very distinct #jetstargeneration livery. Still doesn't encourage me to spend my money with them though...

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, operated by Jetstar Airways

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, operated by Jetstar Airways

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGF, operated by Jetstar Airways

Next up are photos of two of Jetstar's regional fleet, both Bombardier DHC-8-315's, VH-TQK & VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQK, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Not just Aussie cricketers visiting Wellington...

Here are two Australian visitors from last Saturday. First up is the Alliance Airlines operated Fokker F50 [technically an F27 mk 50], VH-FKO, which was on one of it's now-regular Tauck Tours excursions around New Zealand.

Fokker F50, VH-FKO, operated by Alliance Airlines

Second up is a now-familiar Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQD, which is operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQD, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Eastern Australia Airlines/ Jetstar DHC8

I've been away for a few days, but today I got back to Wellington and captured these pictures of one of Eastern Australia Airlines operated Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM. This is of course operating in NZ on behalf of Jetstar. This aircraft came from/ headed back to Nelson on Jetstar's new Nelson/ Wellington sector which started this weekend.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

More from the Jetstar/ Eastern Australia Airlines DHC-8 today!

I arrived at the airport today just in time to see the Jetstar-branded DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, taxying from the Execujet hanger across to the main apron. The aircraft spent the rest of the day parked in the vicinity of gate 21.

Pity the background to the shots are not great, although the livery itself looks quite good!

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines, branded as Jetstar

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines, branded as Jetstar

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines, branded as Jetstar

This just in! Jetstar/ Eastern Australia Airlines DHC-8 in Wellington

Just in at Wellington is Jetstar's [Australian Eastern Airlines] Bombardier DHC-8-315, Vh-TQM. This is the first of what will be 5 DHC-8's to be operated under the Jetstar banner on New Zealand domestic regional routes.

Many thanks to an anonymous "majestic being of renown" [which is how he described himself :-P] who took the photo prior to it being rushed into the Execujet hanger.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines/ Jetstar

DHC-8, Eastern Australia Airline and Jetstar

The big news [although not at all surprising] is that a Jetstar Airways-branded regional service is to start in New Zealand from December 2015.

I say "Jetstar Airways-branded" as it will be another Qantas group company that operates the flights. This company is Eastern Australia Airline, which is part of the Qantas Group, operating under the "Qantaslink" brand in Australia. Eastern Australia Airline has a number of "spare" Bombardier DHC-8-300 aircraft [they same model as Air Nelson/ Air NZ uses]. I assume they also have the crews to operate the aircraft, at least in the short term.

Initially there will be 5 aircraft operating between regional centres, plus [and this is an assumption] Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The reason for this assumption is that, if true, it enables Jetstar's regional passengers to more easily link with the "main trunk" along with trans-Tasman and beyond services.

Timing is everything, and that holds true here. Things are getting better for Qantas group after a few tough years, they have spare aircraft, maybe spare crews, a domestic competitor [Air NZ] which is pulling out of some regions, and a launch at the Christmas rush period.

Initially, it appears that crews may be based in Auckland, although there is also rumour of a Wellington base being set up, along with the possibility of hangerage [maybe even a light maintenance base? We'll have to wait to see about that one].

Interestingly, Jetstar does not operate turbo-prop services across Australia. Is this a case of "wait and see, Australia"?? Perhaps Jetstar are using this as a trial of what could eventually roll out across Australia? Could Jetstar replace some of the Qantaslink branding in Australia? [yes, this is a long shot and only a possibility rather than being likely from what I have heard]

We will have to wait for many of the details, but here are a couple of questions which are bouncing around in my head for now:

• What regional centres will they operate into and how will they link into the main trunk and international routes?
• How will they crew the flights long-term? NZ contracts or Australian contracts?
• Will they set up a base in Wellington?
• Is this a pre-cursor to the Jetstar brand being used for turbo-prop services within Australia?

If you know more, feel free to leave a comment, or send me an email!

Anyway, here is a picture of the only DHC-8 operator in NZ at the moment... we will be seeing a few more of these later this year, but with a livery looking a little more like the A320 in the background!

Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NES, operated by Air Nelson/ Air NZ. Type soon to be operated under the Jetstar brand