End of an Era: Qantas Bids Adieu to Its First Boeing 717

DALLAS — The departure of one of Qantas' (QF) Boeing 717 jets, the first of its kind to be registered and flown in Australia, marks the end of an era for the century-old airline.

Over the course of two decades, the Boeing 717, dubbed "Blue Mountains," flew over 29,000 times and safely transported over 1.6 million passengers.

The departing Boeing 717 was joined at Sydney Airport (SYD) yesterday by two new additions to the airline's fleet: a QF Boeing 787 Dreamliner and a Jetstar (JQ) Airbus A321neo LR. These next-generation planes are part of a fleet renewal investment that will see the Qantas Group receive a new plane every three weeks on average over the next few years.

This departure is part of the carrier's "Project Winton" fleet renewal program, which will gradually replace the airline's 20 Boeing 717s with 29 more fuel-efficient Airbus A220 aircraft. The first A220 is expected later this year, followed by the first of 20 A321XLRs at the end of 2024.

Qantas' First Boeing 717

The departing Boeing 717-2K9 (registration VH-NXI; MSN: 55054; Delivered: October 1999) has a special place in the Qantas Group's modern history, having flown JQ's inaugural flight between Melbourne and Launceston in May 2004. For the past 15 years, the aircraft has also flown on regional and domestic routes for QantasLink.

'Blue Mountains' is scheduled to leave Australia in mid-June and will be sold to another major airline. As the third Boeing 717 to leave the airline's fleet, its limited range means that the flight to its new owner in North America will include eight fuel stops, including Cebu, Sapporo, and Anchorage.

'Blue Mountains' operations in Australia are as follows:

2000 – First registered in Australia as VH-IMP. Operated the first commercial flight for Impulse Airlines (VQ).

2001 – 2004 – Transferred to operate QantasLink flights.

2004 – 2005 – Operated for JQ.

2006 – 2023 – Operated for QantasLink, registered as VH-NXI.

Comments from Qantas CEO

Speaking to this, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said, “It’s the end of an era for these Boeing 717s which have played a crucial role in connecting Australians across our domestic and regional network for more than two decades.”

He added, “It’s fitting that the very first 717 to be registered in this country is making way for another brand-new fleet type, the A220, which can operate double the range of the 717s, opening up new domestic and short-haul international routes.”

Qantas Boeing 717 VH-NXI. Photo: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons