Review of QantasLink flight Melbourne → Canberra in Economy

Boeing 717s in Australia- The End of an Era!

During the late-1960s Australia saw jet aircraft introduced on short haul flying having seen Boeing 707s being introduced on long-haul flying earlier in the 1960s. Ansett Australia and Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) both introduced the Douglas DC-9 as a smaller alternative to the Boeing 727 which both airlines had already introduced to replace older and less efficient prop liners.

Some 26 Douglas DC-9 were operated until the late 1980s in Australia, but the "Next Generation" McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 family didn't fare as well as its predecessor with only Compass Airlines using the type during the 1990s. No Australian airlines operated the McDonnell-Douglas MD-90 at all.

However the McDonnell-Douglas MD-95 fared a lot better with 22 examples being owned and operated by Impulse Airlines and Jetstar Airways, however the merger in 1997 between Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas meant that almost all McDonnell-Douglas planes were phased out of production during the late 1990s and early 2000s as Boeing focused on its Boeing 7X7 series of airliners, but one plane did remain.

The Boeing 717-200 became the new name for the McDonnell-Douglas MD-95. This continued in production until 2006. Multiple airline operated the type as a DC-9 or MD-80 successor as well as buying it to serve markets not feasible at the time with the Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737-NG. The type became very popular in Australia. 

QantasLINK through a series of mergers and restructuring took on the former Jetstar and Impulse Boeing 717-200 fleets as well as some second hand planes from Europe during the 2010s, the airline National Jet Systems operating the fleet on QantasLink's behalf. However with the recent introduction of the Airbus A220-300 as well as Alliance Airlines now supplying Embraer ERJ-190 operations for charter, the Qantas Boeing 717 fleet is now due to exit completely later in July 2024.

Qantas is one of the last three airlines to fly the Boeing 717, now almost 20 years since the last aircraft was produced, as well as the last non-US airline to operate them since Spain's Volotea retired their fleet in early 2021.

The departure of the Boeing 717 will close almost sixty years of McDonnell-Douglas jet aircraft operations in Australia as the last dozen planes fly off to the USA to help keep the Delta Airlines Boeing 717 fleet (acquired after the 2014 Air Tran/Southwest merger) flying into the 2020s and potentially the first half of the 2030s.

Flying Qantas at Melbourne Airport

As I was staying in Melbourne city centre I opted to use my return ticket for the SkyBus and I used that to get to Melbourne Airport, known locally as Tullamarine. The Skybus also serves Melbourne Avalon, which is further afield from the city. The buses are nice and comfortable for the journey to Melbourne Airport, but the offered free Wi-Fi was not working on this bus.

I got off at the Terminal 1, which serves the domestic Qantas and QantasLink operations at Melbourne Airport. The terminal had its Christmas decorations out in full force which was nice to see, but a bit disorienting for me seeing Christmas decorations in the height of Summer.

I dropped my bag at check in, there was a little wait due to the person in front of me checking in four suitcases. I dropped my bag and also requested a paper boarding pass. I was sorted within minutes and then off to the security check point.

Heading to the QantasLink gates, it was really cool seeing the Boeing 717s lined-up alongside the Dash 8 Q-400 ready for various regional flights across Victoria, ACT and New South Wales. There were plenty of Boeing 737-800 as well.

Unfortunately, despite seeing the "Visit Tasmania" Boeing 717-200 on various occasions on my trip, it wouldn't be on my flight this time, which was all but confirmed when I saw it push back and taxi for take off about 45 minutes before my flight was due to depart.

I even got a three in one shot as I saw both Qantas "Retro Roo" Boeing 737-800's (1970's Retro to the left, 1950's Retro tail only) as well as the "Pride Livery" Qantas Airbus A330-200, not a bad spotting haul from that morning!

Eventually my aircraft arrived, meaning I could sigh some relief knowing I would get a Boeing 717 flight finally!

Flying a Qantas 717-200 (QF1516)

Operating the QF1516 flight from Melbourne to Canberra was Boeing 717-200 VH-NXE.

This particular Boeing 717-200 started out as VH-SMH flying for Impulse Airlines in September 2000 operating for QantasLink. It then found itself flying for Jetstar Airways as VH-VQE from May 2004 to June 2005. It then moved onto National Jet Systems in June 2005 operating for QantasLink ever since, which it will do until it retires from service in 2024. The plane is named after "Maria Island National Park". It was its transfer to QantasLINK via National Jet Systems in June 2005 which saw it attain its current registration of <b style="">VH-NXE.

Boarding began on time and I was in the first to board as I was seated toward the rear of the plane. I grabbed some photos of the cabin which was fairly empty as I entered the aircraft before finding myself in Seat 20A, one time an economy class seat is better than business class seat, and I'm not ashamed to admit this out loud!

We pushed back on time and taxied over to the runway for take off, only to get held up for 15 minutes as it was a busy time for Melbourne Airport and we had to wait on other planes either landing or taking off.

We were still expected to be out of Melbourne with enough time to make it to Canberra before being so late that our arrival would be delayed.

Eventually it was our turn to depart and the Boeing 717 showed off that it could "pocket rocket" like the Fokker F100 I'd flown earlier in the week. We buzzed through the cloud over Melbourne before popping out into the clear skies where we reached our cruising altitude for the short flight over to the countries capital city.

There were some beautiful views on the flight as we crossed from the State of Victoria to the Australian Capital Territory. It was amazing to get this wing/engine view again alongside the general views in between.

A snack and drink service was provided by the two flight attendants serving economy class on this flight. The snack offered was a coconut and chocolate cake bar made by a First Nation owned company as well as opting for a bottle of water and orange juice.

I got up to use the toilet, and took the time to grab a QF B717 loo pic for this report as well as a few cabin shots of the rear exit door and the cabin from the very back of the aircraft.

For the benefit of those who don't know, the Boeing 717 (as well as its predecessors) has a rear exit at the bulkhead as the tail cone is designed to come off during an emergency landing. Adding an extra exit at the rear of the cabin as there are no rear exits like the ones on the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737. 

Eventually it was time to bring this flight to an end and the plane came straight into Canberra Airport without having to hold or experiencing any further delays. I must say for an Airport serving the capital city of a country, Canberra Airport has to be one of the smallest and quietest!

We made the short taxi over to the Terminal building and parked up next to a line-up of Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft.

I really wanted to tick off a flight deck visit after landing as well as grab some cabin pics, so I opted to hold back until almost everyone had left the Boeing 717 and made my way to the front and asked the question to the flight attendant at the front door, she asked the flight crew in the cockpit and….

My wish was duly granted!!!

I had a quick chat with the pilots about the Boeing 717 and that I had gone out of my way to include some flights on this trip to get the type finally ticked off my list. This was my first time seeing a Boeing 717 flight deck in person, I have been inside MD-80s & DC-9s before, but to finally add this one was a huge privilege and bonus!

A brilliant introduction to the vulnerable Boeing 717 indeed, glad I got to do this flight!

Time will tell, but I really hope the two flights I did won't be my only flirtation with the Boeing 717, the last of the Mad-Dogs!