QantasLink announced in late October 2024 that it was retiring its Boeing 717s, but they were returned to the fleet in November of the same year due to delays in new aircraft deliveries. On the penultimate day of 2024, two months later, Qantas is retiring the aircraft again.
The aircraft (registration VH-YQW) landed at Brisbane (BNE) on 30 December, after which it was donated to an aviation school and is said to be used for training and education. After VH-YQW completed its “last flying days” in late October, it returned to service in early November before making its final flight to Brisbane in late December. Qantas says the service return was a necessary step in the integration of the new A220s into Qantas’ domestic fleet.
QantasLink has initiated a domestic fleet renewal with Airbus A220s, the first two of the 29 on order being delivered in March 2024.
