QantasLink’s first A220-300, VH-X4A, at Coffs Harbour Airport. The aircraft is painted in a unique Indigenous-inspired livery by Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker. (Image: Peter Wallis)

Can regional jets change Australian aviation?

Regional jets have long had a place in Australian aviation – but they could be set for major growth? Jake Nelson talks to the key players to ask whether small could unlock more of the regions.

While Australia’s major inter-city trunk routes have long been dominated by the likes of the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, often unnoticed by most travellers have been the smaller jets: the Boeing 717, the Fokker 100 and the Embraer E190. Sandwiched between the larger domestic jets and the turboprops, these quiet achievers have played a key role in connecting Australia’s regions. As Qantas and Virgin start to invest in renewing their regional jet fleets and FIFO operators like Alliance expand their stables, these aircraft could soon see a surge in local growth – with planemakers such Airbus and Embraer poised to benefit.

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