# Alliance Airlines

Alliance Airlines Pty Limited is an Australian airline based at Brisbane Airport in Brisbane, Queensland, with operational bases in Adelaide, Cairns, Perth, Townsville, Darwin, and Rockhampton. Alliance Airlines owns and operates a fleet of Fokker and Embraer jet aircraft: Fokker 70, Fokker 100 and Embraer 190. Alliance runs fly-in fly-out (FIFO) air charter services for the Australian mining and resources industry, as well as private aircraft charters throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia. Alliance also provides aircraft component sales and leasing worldwide.

## History

Alliance Airlines was established in 2002 when Brisbane based Queensland Airline Holdings acquired the AOC (Air Operator's Certificate) and assets of the dormant Flight West Airlines, which had been established in May 1987 and ceased scheduled services in 2001. Alliance commenced operations with two Fokker 100 aircraft and has since expanded its fleet and operational capabilities to service the growing demand from the mining and energy sector. It is a subsidiary of Alliance Aviation Services that was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2011 and now has approximately 920 full-time equivalent employees.
Alliance was recognised as the first aircraft operator in Australia to attain Flight Safety Foundation Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Gold Status in 2013
In November 2015, Alliance announced the purchase of 6 Fokker 70 and 15 Fokker 100 aircraft from Austrian Airlines. In 2016, the airline was recognised as the first regional aircraft operator in Australia to attain IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification. In November 2018, Alliance was awarded CAPA Asia Pacific Regional Airline of the Year.
In February 2019, Qantas acquired a 19.9% shareholding.
In August 2020, Alliance announced a deal to purchase 14 Embraer E190 jets adding to their current fleet and then in December 2020 ordered a further 16 more Embraer E190 jets bringing their total to 30. The first E190, named Brazilian Lad was received by the airline on 29 October 2020 at Brisbane Airport and was expected to enter service in February 2021.
In May 2022, Alliance announced it had agreed terms to be taken over by Qantas. The deal was subject to regulatory and shareholder approval and in April 2023, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission opposed the takeover, and it was subsequently abandoned by both companies.
On 27 February 2023, Alliance announced it would purchase an additional 30 E190s from Aercap for delivery between September 2023 and January 2026, most if not all of which being ex-jetBlue E-jets. The aircraft will be initially certified and maintained at their new base in Rockhampton, Queensland.

## Services
### Scheduled services

As of August 2024, Alliance operates some routes under its own name but the majority of its services are fly-in fly-out. These include:
* Adelaide to Olympic Dam
* Brisbane to Weipa
* Brisbane to Moranbah
* Cairns to Weipa
* Cairns to Groote Eylandt
* Perth to Kalgoorlie

### Fly-in fly-out

Alliance Airlines operates fly-in fly-out air services (FIFO) to over 20 mine sites and services mining projects in Australia including Ballera, Cannington, Cloncurry, Cape Preston, Leinster, Mount Keith, Phosphate Hill, Telfer, Barimunya, Coondewanna, Newman, Leonora, Century Mine and The Granites.

### Aircraft lease

* Qantas; using 30 Embraer 190s under a wet lease from mid 2021 under a seven-year deal to operate routes under the QantasLink brand:
* Virgin Australia; using Fokker 70 and Fokker 100 aircraft under a wet lease agreement
* Airnorth; using 3 Embraer E190 aircraft under a dry lease agreement

### Aircraft charters

Alliance Airlines provides aircraft charters throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia.

## Fleet
### Current fleet

As of August 2024, Alliance Airlines operates the following aircraft:
Alliance Airlines fleet :
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Passengers | Passengers | Notes |
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | J | Y | Total | Notes |
| Embraer 190 | 14 | — | 10 | 84 | 94 | Former Copa Airlines aircraft. All aircraft to be wetleased to QantasLink |
| Embraer 190 | 16 | — | 9 | 88 | 97 | Former American Airlines aircraft All aircraft are wetleased to QantasLink |
| Embraer 190 | 9 | 26 | — | 100 | 100 | Former Pionair, Helvetic Airways, jetBlue & AerCap aircraft |
| Fokker 70 | 12 | — | — | 80 | 80 | |
| Fokker 100 | 25 | — | — | 100 | 100 | |
| Total | 76 | 26 | | | | |

### Former fleet

Alliance Airlines has also previously operated the following aircraft types:
* Boeing 737-400 - 2 aircraft (2012–2013, wet leased from Airwork)
* Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia - 3 aircraft (2002–2003, inherited from Flight West Airlines, sold to Skippers Aviation)
* Fokker 50 - 8 aircraft (2007–2022)