Australian charter service National Jet Express is ready to launch a brand new base in Brisbane (BNE) following the confirmation of its first mining contract in Queensland.
Brisbane certain
Announced Wednesday, the Rex Group-owned charter service will begin operations on a long-term contract for BHP Mitsubishi Alliance. Services will launch on July 1, connecting mining operators in rural Queensland with National Jet Express and Rex Airlines’ network of over 24 regional destinations.
Alongside the brand new route, National Jet Express will establish a base at Brisbane Airport, operating alongside sibling carrier Rex Airlines. The airline primarily targets operations in rural, underserved regions, including Birdsville (BVI), Cunnamulla (CMA), and Thargomindah (XTG), in addition to to major hubs Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL).
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noted Chris Hine, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of NJE.
Services will likely be operated with a fleet of contemporary De Havilland Canada DCH-8-Q400NG aircraft, with two latest aircraft to be explicitly procured for operations in Queensland. The following-generation aircraft will slash operational costs through a 50% reduction in fuel consumption in comparison with its predecessor, cutting carbon emissions in the method.
To fulfill the demand for regional mining and resource operations around Queensland, the Rex Group can also be planning to introduce Embraer E190 jets to Brisbane Airport, following the sort’s success on Australia’s West Coast.
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Return of National Jet Express
Initially launched in 1990, the National Jet Express brand was briefly placed on hiatus after the carrier rebranded to Cobham Aviation Services in 2009, a decade after its acquisition by British aerospace manufacturer Cobham. The carrier was again acquired by Rex Group in 2022, reforming National Jet Express earlier this 12 months.
Rex Group has primarily set the carrier’s focus as a Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) charter service, updating its operations with the addition of reliable, modern aircraft to its fleet, outperforming other regional operators still utilizing aging Fokker 100 regional jets. In August 2022, Rex Airlines was named probably the most reliable airline in Australia, with the very best on-time performance and lowest cancellation rate of any Australian carrier.
Photo: Cobham Aviation Services Australia
National Jet Express currently operates a combination of six E190s and eight Dash 8s for chartered passenger services, while 4 very rare British Aerospace 146s are in use for freighter operations into Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide (ADL), and the Gold Coast (OOL). Three more Dash 8-100 aircraft are utilized exclusively for FIFO services between Port Moresby (POM) in Papua Recent Guinea and Cairns (CNS).
What are your thoughts on National Jet Express’ latest Brisbane base? What other destinations would you prefer to see the Rex Group add? Tell us within the comments.