Australia’s East Air sells out flights using smaller aircraft

By Andrew Curran

Australia’s newest scheduled passenger airline, East Air, is selling out some flights but has downsized its operating aircraft to Cessna 402s.

The airline’s own booking engine shows only one flight in the run-up to Christmas has any spare seats, and the remaining seats on that flight are selling at a fare equalling more than AUD1 (USD0.66) per kilometre flown.

East Air began flying between Cairns (CNS) and Hamilton Island (HTI) in early November 2025. At the time, it was using a 19-passenger Beechcraft 1900D on the twice-weekly round-trips. It has since downsized to a Cessna 402 registered as VH-UCM (msn 402C0472). Depending on configuration, the 402 seats six to ten passengers, although around eight passengers is standard.

East Air CEO Alan Milne says the carrier is using an aircraft type that suits the passenger loads.

“Our strategy has always been ‘the right aeroplane for the right route,’” he told Aero South Pacific. “QantasLink previously operated a daily 50-seat DHC-8-300 on this city pair and we intend to build the route back to that.”

East Air fares reflect operating costs

Fares across January are starting at AUD515 (USD342) each way, rising to AUD617 (USD409) on some flights. The flight distance between Cairns and Hamilton is about 512 kilometres.

Milne said the costs of operating the route are inversely proportional to the aircraft size. 

“The sooner we can build the route to larger passenger numbers, the better,” he said.

Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) records show VH-UCM is registered to Townsville Airlines Pty Ltd. That company owns the East Air and Weipa Air business names. Earlier this year, Townsville Airlines Pty Ltd was acquired by interests associated with Milne, the former managing director of Skytrans (now SmartLynx Australia), a Cairns-based scheduled passenger and charter airline.

The same CASA records show that Townsville Airlines remains the registered operator of one 1900D (the same aircraft that launched the Hamilton Island flights last month), three Cessna 402Cs, three Cessna 208Bs, and six Aero Commander 500-Ss. Charter operations formerly operated by East Air have been taken over by New South Wales-based Airlink.

East Air has also shifted its Cairns arrival and departures from the main domestic terminal to the airline’s own terminal on the general aviation side of the airport. 

Photo: East Air.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com