Qantas Group has retired its last owned B737-400(SF), with VH-XNH (msn 24796) bowing out on August 15 after operating a roundtrip service between Melbourne Tullamarine and Hobart International. The group began using the 34-year-old aircraft in 2017.
Wholly-owned Qantas Group subsidiary Express Freighters Australia (QE, Sydney Kingsford Smith) operated the aircraft on behalf of Qantas Freight (Sydney Kingsford Smith), which used it to carry parcels and mail under an Australia Post contract. For the time being, Qantas Freight continues to use wet-leased Airwork Flight Operations (AWK, Auckland International) B737-400SFs.
"The retirement of these B737 classics makes way for a new era of larger and more fuel-efficient A321-200(P2F)s," Qantas Group posted on its social media platforms this week.
Qantas Freight now operates six A321F(P2F)s, all wet leased from Express Freighters Australia. That subsidiary also operates two A330-200(P2F)s and one B767-300F for Qantas Freight. In addition, it wet leases in one ATR72-200(F) from Aerlink; five B737-400(SF)s from Airwork; two B747-400FSCDs from Atlas Air; and three BAe 146-200(QT)s, two BAe 146-300(QT)s, and a B737-800(BCF) from ASL Airlines Australia. A third BAe 146-300(QT) is supplied by National Jet Express.
