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Qantas plans to add 14 more De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s to its fleet to replace older and smaller turboprops used for its regional services.
The carrier said it will acquire the “mid-life” -400s for its QantasLink operation, with the first due to be introduced by the end of 2024. These aircraft will allow the airline to progressively phase out its 19 DHC-8-200s and -300s.
Adding 14 aircraft will boost QantasLink’s -400 fleet to 45. However, there will be no material increase in capacity resulting from the replacement program, Qantas said.
The -400s will be on average more than 10 years younger than the smaller turboprops they replace, Qantas said. They will be configured with 78 seats, four more than the -400s currently in the fleet. The -200s have 36 seats and the -300s 50 seats.
Switching to a single-type turboprop fleet will introduce efficiencies, including lowering operating and maintenance costs, Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said
Qantas indicated that it will consider a zero-emissions aircraft for the regional fleet in the longer term. The new intake of -400s will “allow us to provide certainty to the regions over the next decade while we work with aircraft manufacturers and other suppliers on electric or battery powered aircraft that are the right size and range for our network,” the carrier said.
The Qantas Group has already embarked on phasing out its Boeing 717s, which are another of its main regional aircraft types. These will be progressively replaced by Airbus A220s. The group is scheduled to take delivery of its third A220 in the coming weeks, the carrier said.
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