Australia’s National Jet Express ending BAe146 operations

By Andrew Curran.

Australia’s National Jet Express will end BAe 146 operations later this week. The four aircraft primarily operate for Qantas Freight, and their retirement coincides with that carrier taking delivery of its seventh A321-200P2F and moving its Sydney freight hub from slot and curfew-constrained Sydney Airport to Western Sydney Airport.

Aero South Pacific understands that National Jet Express will operate its last revenue BAe 146 flight on October 2, flying from Western Sydney Airport (WSI) to Coolangatta/Gold Coast (OOL). The aircraft will then return to Adelaide (ADL), pending disposal.

The four retiring aircraft are:

• VH-NJF (msn E3198) – manufactured in 1991, this aircraft was entered onto the Australian aircraft register in 1992, then flying for National Jet Systems. It has been operated by National Jet Express since 2009.
• VH-NJI (msn E3154) – built in 1990, it first flew for the UK-based Air Foyle before transferring to other European carriers. It was acquired by National Jet Express in 2018.
• VH-NJM (msn E3194) – manufactured in 1991 and first operating outside Australia, it was picked up by National Jet Systems in 1995 and acquired by National Jet Express in 2009.
• VH-NJZ (msn E3126) – built in 1989, this is the oldest of the four aircraft. It first operated for Dan Air London before progressing through a series of European operators and arriving in Australia in 2010, when it began flights for National Jet Express.

For clarity, National Jet Express and National Jet Systems are different entities with different owners. In 2022, Cobham Aviation sold National Jet Express to the Rex Group and private Singapore-based shareholders. Those Singaporean interests now own 100% of the airline. National Jet Systems is wholly owned by the Qantas Group.

National Jet Express BAe 146s to be sold

National Jet Express operates a growing fleet of E190-100s and DHC-8-Q400s on fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) routes for mining and resources clients. It has nine E190-100s, the most recent of which arrived earlier this month, and thirteen Q400s, the most recent of which arrived in June.

Its four BAe 146s predate both the other aircraft types but have kept busy operating overnight freight flights for Qantas Freight, primarily flying between Adelaide, Melbourne (MEL), Sydney (SYD), Brisbane (BNE) and Coolangatta/Gold Coast. At the time of publication, three of the BAe 146s are active and one, VH-NJI, has been parked in Adelaide since mid-September.

A National Jet Express spokesperson told Aero South Pacific that the airline intended to sell the planes and that their retirement marks the end of 32 years of flying for Qantas Freight.

"The long-standing relationship with the Qantas Freight team has been an important part of NJE’s journey.," reads a National Jet Express statement. "The contract with Qantas Freight comes to an end with the opening of Western Sydney Airport."

Qantas Freight increases in-house fleet

Qantas Freight has historically made use of wet-leased aircraft to help service its scheduled flights and closed contract services. These wet-leased aircraft supplemented its own in-house aircraft, which are typically registered to wholly owned Qantas Group subsidiaries such as Express Freighters.

However, in recent years, the Qantas Group has expanded its in-house freighter fleet, including acquiring two A330-200P2Fs in 2023 and seven A321-200P2Fs since 2020, with an eighth due soon. Much of that capacity goes to support a long-term contract with Australia Post. Three of the four BAe 146s wear StarTrack Express branding. StarTrack is Australia Post’s parcel delivery service.

Aero South Pacific has asked Qantas what aircraft they will use in place of the National Jet Express BAe146s but is yet to receive a response.

With National Jet Express ending its BAe 146 operations, the sole remaining Australian operator of the type is ASL Airlines Australia. It has eight 146s, although only five are currently in service.

Photo: National Jet Express.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific,com