15 February 2012

The largest fly in fly out charter operator in Australia, Queensland-based Alliance Airlines, has started services through Hervey Bay.

“Council is optimistic that the arrival of Alliance Airlines services will add weight to our Live Here Work There campaign,” Fraser Coast Mayor Mick Kruger said.

“We have seen from our survey of mine workers that many still drive and there is potential to grow the number of flights from this area to the mines.”

Alliance Airlines, which started operations in 2002, operates a fleet of 25 aircraft including the Fokker 100 and Fokker 70 jets and Fokker 50 turboprop aircraft in Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.

“We are the largest dedicated fly in fly out operator in Australia,” Alliance Airlines Managing Director Scott McMillan said.

Alliance is flying one of its 100-set Fokker 100 jets from Brisbane to Hervey Bay to pick up workers and then flying to Emerald. It brings workers back to the region on the return flight the following week.

“It is a closed charter so the seats are only available to the client and not for sale to the general public,” Mr McMillan said.

“We’d expect that the number of workers flying out of Hervey Bay would gradually increase as workers get to know we are now operating through the region.”

The company flies six FIFO services from Brisbane to Emerald four days each week.

Alliance operates services for most major mining companies operating in Australia.