East Air (Australia) (Cairns) has announced it would launch its first scheduled route, connecting Cairns with Hamilton Island, on November 3, 2025. While the flights will initially be onboard the carrier's existing fleet of Beech 1900Ds, East Air is planning to add a DHC-8-100s or DHC-8-200s to its fleet.
"East Air has specialised in tailored charter flight services for more than 15 years. We are taking our operations to the next level by reviving a sought-after passenger service on this untapped route, which has the potential to influence the future of regional Queensland tourism," chief executive officer and owner of East Air, Alan Milne, said in a statement.
The carrier's internet booking engine shows that the flights will initially be served 3x weekly. The Cairns-Hamilton Island route has been unserved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the island, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, has scheduled flights to other mainland airports (Sydney Kingsford Smith, Brisbane International, and Melbourne Airport) operated by Qantas, Virgin Australia International, and Jetstar Airways.
East Air is a virtual brand of its parent company, Townsville Airlines, without a separate incorporation or certificate. Its fleet currently comprises two Beech 1900Ds, three Cessna (single turboprop) C208B Grand Caravans, two Cessna (twin piston) C402Cs, one Beech B200 King Air, and six Commander 500-S. Townsville Airlines also uses the brand name of Weipa Air.
Without disclosing any further details, the airline said on its website that it was in the process of securing regulatory approvals to add a Dash 8 aircraft. The renderings posted on its social media suggest it will be a -100 or a -200 variant.
Milne, until recently, ran Skytrans (since rebranded as SmartLynx Australia), a regional carrier with a fleet of Dash 8s serving remote destinations in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands. Earlier, he was the CEO of Papua New Guinea's Air Niugini and held various management roles at Qantas.
