Air Link
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| Founded | 1974 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Dubbo Regional Airport | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Bankstown Archerfield Essendon | ||||||
| Fleet size | 21 | ||||||
| Parent company | Aviation Logistics Holdings | ||||||
| Headquarters | Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||
| Key people | Matthew Kline and Mark Wardrop | ||||||
| Employees | 50 | ||||||
| Website | www.airlinkairlines.com.au | ||||||
Air Link is an Australian airline based in Dubbo, New South Wales. It operates air charter services and recommenced regular passenger services in November 2019.[1] As of 2024, Aviation Logistics Holdings (ALH) who owns Air Link, AirMed and Chartair, employs nearly 300 staff and owns and operates 70 aircraft across its seven bases in four states. Aviation Logistics Group operates one of Australia's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft across its subsidiaries and associated companies.[2] Air Link has bases in Dubbo, Brisbane (Archerfield), Sydney (Bankstown) and Melbourne (Essendon).[3]
History
[edit]
Air Link commenced operations in 1974 as an aircraft charter operation based in Dubbo. In 1989 the company was acquired by David and Barbara Miller. Regular regional airline services across western New South Wales were commenced in 1991, when Hazelton Airlines divested itself of its piston-engined aircraft and the routes served by those aircraft. On 30 November 2005 Regional Express Holdings Air Link, with David Miller appointed as Chief Executive, and it was run as an independent airline within the Regional Express group.[4][5]
On 10 November 2008 Regional Express Holdings announced that Air Link would cease all scheduled operations on 20 December and concentrate on its air charter and aircraft maintenance business.[6] Scheduled services resumed again in 2014 with a daily return service between Dubbo and Sydney operated on behalf of Regional Express Airlines. In 2015, services commenced to Cobar with a Beech 1900D and in December 2017 Air Link ceased these flights.[7]
At the start of 2018 the company ceased all operations for Regional Express, with the sole remaining Beech 1900D sold[8] and soon after suspended all charter flights. In September 2018, Regional Express Holdings sold the Air Link business to Aviation Logistics Holdings. From November 2019, Air Link recommenced regular passenger services with flights to Bourke, Lightning Ridge and Walgett using its Piper Chieftain fleet. From 2019, the fleet has been progressively refurbished, particularly to incorporate the company's new stylised logo.
Destinations
[edit]_Piper_PA-31-350_Navajo_Chieftain_at_Sydney_Airport.jpg?lang=en)
_Beechcraft_1900D_at_Sydney_Airport.jpg?lang=en)
Prior to the cessation of scheduled services in December 2008, Air Link operated to the following destinations:[9]
Prior to the second cessation of scheduled services, Air Link operated to the following destinations on behalf of Regional Express Airlines:
Destinations from the recommencement of services in November 2019:
Fleet
[edit]As of February 2024, the fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cessna 310R | 2 | |
| Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain | 10 | |
| Piper PA-31P Mojave | 3 | Pressurized |
| Cessna CitationJet/M2 | 1 | |
| Cessna CJ2+ | 1 | |
| Cessna Citation Mustang | 4 | |
| Cessna Citation Mustang | 3 | Medical |
| Beechcraft King Air | 2 | |
| Beechcraft Baron | 1 |
Formerly operated
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Air Link and FlyPelican bringing flights back to Western NSW". Australian Aviation. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ "Aviation Logistics Group operates Australia's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft across our subsidiaries and associated companies". www.aviationlogistics.com.au. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Air Link | Charter Flights". 17 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ Rex acquires Air Link Australian Aviation issue 224 January 2006 pages 15/16
- ^ Directory: World Airlines Flight International 27 March 2007 page 59
- ^ "Change to Air Link Operations" - Regional Express Media Release. Retrieved: 10 November 2008
- ^ "Council hopeful of future air services". Cobar Weekly.
- ^ "Aircraft register search". 2 September 2021.
- ^ Flights Air Link
External links
[edit]
Media related to Air Link at Wikimedia Commons