Take-off: First Virgin Australia E190-E2 Starts Service

By Andrew Curran.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) has begun Embraer E190-E2 revenue flights. Its first E2, VH-E2A (msn 19020185), operated a round-trip charter flight between Perth (PER) and Boolgeeda (OCM) on Monday, October 27, 2025.

Boolgeeda Airport, in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, services the Rio Tinto-owned Brockman 4 iron ore mine. VARA has the contract to operate fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) flights to the airport and does so from Perth, Geraldton (GET), Albany (ALH), and Busselton (BQB).

VARA operates various aircraft types into Boolgeeda, including Virgin Group B737-800 and A320-200s from Perth, and Fokker and older-generation E190 jets from the smaller centres. Wet-lease operators such as Alliance Airlines and Airnorth operate some flights on behalf of VARA, including many of the Fokker and E190 services into Boolgeeda.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is part of the Virgin Australia Group but has its own air operator's certificate. VARA mostly services the charter market.

VH-E2A is the first of eight E190-E2s being delivered to VARA. They will primarily operate on FIFO routes across Western Australia. However, the aircraft are configured to support regular passenger operations on days of higher leisure demand and lower charter activity.

The E2s will replace the remaining two VARA-operated Fokker 100s and many of the wet-leased aircraft VARA currently relies on. The remaining seven E190-E2s are scheduled for delivery through to 2027.

VARA says VH-E2A is the first factory-fresh aircraft deployed onto Western Australia’s charter market this century. The aircraft was delivered to VARA by Azorra in September. It is not only VARA’s first E2, but the first E190-E2 to be operated by a major Australian airline.

“(The aircraft) marks a major milestone not just for VARA but for regional aviation in Western Australia,” said VARA Executive General Manager Nathan Miller.

Following its entry into service, VH-E2A will quickly settle into a demanding schedule. It operated a Perth – Geraldton – Boolgeeda – Albany – Perth rotation on October 28, but this quickly ramps up. The aircraft is due to fly a Perth – Albany – Geraldton – Boolgeeda - Geraldton – Perth – Boolgeeda - Geraldton – Perth rotation on October 29, and a Perth – Geraldton – Boolgeeda - Geraldton – Perth – Boolgeeda - Geraldton – Busselton – Perth rotation on October 30. On such days, VH-E2A will be in service between 4.30 in the morning until around 9.00 in the evening.

VARA is one of Australia’s largest FIFO operators and operates over 250 weekly services to mining airports around Western Australia. Aside from Rio Tinto, its clients include BHP, Newmont, Pilbara Minerals, Portman Iron Ore, and Gold Fields Australia.