Reportedly B717's YQX & NXN were withdrawn over the Easter weekend.

Zac may be able to confirm ?

That’s what I was told, NXN ferried into CBR direct to the hanger on Sunday, YQX operated a flight in from Sydney.

I was told that YQS would be retiring after Sunday by a flight attendant while I was onboard on Friday, however that appears to not be the case

Thanks Zac.

I expect that their trip/timing to VCV will depend on how many fuel bladders they have ?
ie: One bladder, ferry over, fly bladder back, fit to next & go again

I’m not 100% sure but I assume it may be the case. Haven’t been able to get a rego but one is in the Qlink Hanger and the other was towed to the run up bay at the far end of the airport for parking.

YQX operated QJE1501 SYD-CBR on Sunday evening 31/3/24 and hasn't flown since. YQS is still in service flying from SYD-HBA and CBR today and is about to operate CBR-SYD.

NXN ferried from CFS to MEL on 23/3/24 after having its scheduled flight cancelled the previous day. It then ferried to CBR on 31/3/24 and if it went straight into the hanger would be getting maintenance for the issue that cancelled the flight from CFS and in readiness for either its return to service or its ferry to VCV.

I flew on 3x 717's over Easter Sat & Sun - YQY, YQT & YQS - SYD/MEL/LST/SYD

So did a lot of research and tracking in the lead up.

717's have been operating ad hoc MEL/SYD/MEL flights (QFLink flight numbers).

They have been down to 9 of them for a while now. Only 2 are needed for SYD operations and 3 for MEL operations, the other 4 just sit around looking like they were retired when they weren't, they reappear and fly again but that looks to have changed now from what I am reading above.

An examination of the Qantas website shows some 717's flying up to the end of October 2024.

They are beautiful to fly on in every regard from seats, leg room, condition, less clutter (5 seats across) when boarding, sound etc. Very sad indeed.

* I did notice at MEL on Saturday that an aircraft enthusiast was taking pics of YQY when we got off at Gate 21 (don't know who he was) :)

Hopefully YQW gets the ending she deserves as the last of a very long line of McDonnell Douglas passenger aircraft in the world.

I actually know who that was! Local Brisbane spotter :)

VH-OQA A388 is currently undergoing test flight at AUH as QF6024, it would be its first flight since its VCV-AUH repositioning in November 18th, 2022.

https://www.flightradar24.com/QFA6024/34a12f0b

Whacky do. I've waited a year or so for this news of OQA, expecting it much sooner than this, as a lot of us have. It is great to see Nancy-Bird back in the air. I wonder if she has been refurbished as well as having the long awaited maintenance.