Air Link

For other uses, see Airlink (disambiguation).

Air Link Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
LZ - -
Founded1974
HubsDubbo Regional Airport
Secondary hubsBankstown Archerfield Essendon
Fleet size21
Parent companyAviation Logistics Holdings
HeadquartersDubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Employees50
Websitewww.airlinkairlines.com.au

Air Link Pty Ltd[1] is an airline[2] and air charter company based in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. It operates air charter services and recommenced regular passenger services in November 2019.[3] As of 2024, Aviation Logistics Holdings (ALH) who owns Air Link, Air Med and Chart Air, employs nearly 300 staff and owns and operates 70 aircraft across its 7 bases in 4 states. Aviation Logistics Group operates one of Australia's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft across its subsidiaries and associated companies.[4] Air Link has bases in Dubbo, Brisbane (Archerfield), Sydney (Bankstown) and Melbourne (Essendon).[5]

History

Air Link headquarters at Dubbo City Regional Airport
An Air Link Piper Chieftain at Walgett Airport in the 2019 livery

The airline was formed and started 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 acquired all the shares in Air Link, with David Miller appointed as Chief Executive, and it was run as an independent airline within the Regional Express group.[6] 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.[7] 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 in the company's Beech 1900D and in December 2017 Air Link ceased these flights.[8] At the start of 2018 the company ceased all RPT operations for Regional Express, with the sole remaining Beech 1900D being sold in March[9] 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

An Air Link Piper Chieftain in the pre 2019 livery
A Beech 1900D of Air Link; this aircraft has since been sold

Prior to the cessation of scheduled services in December 2008, Air Link operated to the following destinations:

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

As of February 2024, the Air Link fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Caption text
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

References

  1. ^ "ABNLookup - Current details for Air Link Pty Ltd". Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
  2. ^ Air Link AOC. Archived 6 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved: 10 November 2008
  3. ^ "AIR LINK AND FLYPELICAN BRINGING FLIGHTS BACK TO WESTERN NSW". Australian Aviation. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Air Link | Charter Flights". 17 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 27 March 2007. p. 59.
  7. ^ "Change to Air Link Operations" - Regional Express Media Release. Retrieved: 10 November 2008
  8. ^ "Council hopeful of future air services – the Cobar Weekly".
  9. ^ "Aircraft register search". 2 September 2021.

Media related to Air Link at Wikimedia Commons