On Monday 18 Jan I flew from Brisbane (BNE) to Biloela/Thangool (ZBL) with Link Airways (formerly Fly Corporate) on a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (VH-VET).
I haven't flown on the Metroliner before and I had a trip planned to QLD/NSW, I'm based in SA.
I was originally going to travel with Link from Armidale to Brisbane but due to the SA/NSW Border closing I changed to just stay within QLD and Biloela/Thangool was the only flight within QLD that Link offer (all Link's other flights from BNE are interstate) and is also on the metroliner and not to far from 1770 in QLD where I was planning on going now that I was only staying in QLD, so win win. Link let me change for free and just pay fare/tax difference which was $3.00. Original fare to Armidale was around $140.00.
Flight to Biloela/Thangool was FC 443 and it departs every Monday at 7:50AM and arrives at 9:00AM. Return flight to Brisbane departs not long after. Flights go on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and some Saturdays (only one flight a day).
Check In area for Link at Brisbane Airport was behind Jetstar, as it's a small plane, luggage is 15 kilos and carry on is 7 kilos and my carry on was weighed. You can pay extra for another checked in bag or pay per extra kilo if your checked in bag is over 15 kilos. Check in was quick and painless.
We were delayed by around an hour due to a jam with the luggage area at BNE. We ended up leaving without a bag but thankfully it wasn't mine. The missing bag wasn't Link's fault (was BNE airport's fault) and they said the bag would go on a flight to Rockhampton then be bussed to Biloela so the passenger who didn't get their bag would get it that night.
Once we boarded, getting on the plane was quick and when boarding the plane everyone was offered a bottle of cold water and a snack, I wasn't hungry so I didn't take a snack.
I'm over 6 foot 1 and the head room is very low on the Metroliner, I had to duck all the way to my seat which was 4B (seating is 1-1).
The Metroliner carries 19 passengers but only 9 passengers were on this flight so I was able to put my bag on the seat in front of me, this meant I had more leg room. Leg room was good but would be tight if you cant put your carry on somewhere else.
Flight time was around an hour once we took off.
Overall flight was very smooth, the crew on the plane is the 2 pilots and no other crew on the plane.
Biloela/Thangool is a small airport and only has Link Airways flying there, there is a Budget/AVIS/Hertz desk and a vending machine (waiting area is air-conditioned).
I had a hire car pre booked with Hertz and was in the car with my bag within 10 minutes.
Customer Service for Link Airways was great, crew were great. Link have a lot of exciting routes and we need more people to support airlines like Link, Fly Pelican, REX, Skytrans, Sharp etc... Qantas keep cutting in on routes that these airlines offer and then they beat them on price as Qantas can afford to lose money on certain flights, and often the smaller airlines will pull out or go bankrupt and then Qantas end up leaving that route down the track anyway.
So where possible, if you can please support our small or regional airlines.
I haven't flown on the Metroliner before and I had a trip planned to QLD/NSW, I'm based in SA.
I was originally going to travel with Link from Armidale to Brisbane but due to the SA/NSW Border closing I changed to just stay within QLD and Biloela/Thangool was the only flight within QLD that Link offer (all Link's other flights from BNE are interstate) and is also on the metroliner and not to far from 1770 in QLD where I was planning on going now that I was only staying in QLD, so win win. Link let me change for free and just pay fare/tax difference which was $3.00. Original fare to Armidale was around $140.00.
Flight to Biloela/Thangool was FC 443 and it departs every Monday at 7:50AM and arrives at 9:00AM. Return flight to Brisbane departs not long after. Flights go on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and some Saturdays (only one flight a day).
Check In area for Link at Brisbane Airport was behind Jetstar, as it's a small plane, luggage is 15 kilos and carry on is 7 kilos and my carry on was weighed. You can pay extra for another checked in bag or pay per extra kilo if your checked in bag is over 15 kilos. Check in was quick and painless.
We were delayed by around an hour due to a jam with the luggage area at BNE. We ended up leaving without a bag but thankfully it wasn't mine. The missing bag wasn't Link's fault (was BNE airport's fault) and they said the bag would go on a flight to Rockhampton then be bussed to Biloela so the passenger who didn't get their bag would get it that night.
Once we boarded, getting on the plane was quick and when boarding the plane everyone was offered a bottle of cold water and a snack, I wasn't hungry so I didn't take a snack.
I'm over 6 foot 1 and the head room is very low on the Metroliner, I had to duck all the way to my seat which was 4B (seating is 1-1).
The Metroliner carries 19 passengers but only 9 passengers were on this flight so I was able to put my bag on the seat in front of me, this meant I had more leg room. Leg room was good but would be tight if you cant put your carry on somewhere else.
Flight time was around an hour once we took off.
Overall flight was very smooth, the crew on the plane is the 2 pilots and no other crew on the plane.
Biloela/Thangool is a small airport and only has Link Airways flying there, there is a Budget/AVIS/Hertz desk and a vending machine (waiting area is air-conditioned).
I had a hire car pre booked with Hertz and was in the car with my bag within 10 minutes.
Customer Service for Link Airways was great, crew were great. Link have a lot of exciting routes and we need more people to support airlines like Link, Fly Pelican, REX, Skytrans, Sharp etc... Qantas keep cutting in on routes that these airlines offer and then they beat them on price as Qantas can afford to lose money on certain flights, and often the smaller airlines will pull out or go bankrupt and then Qantas end up leaving that route down the track anyway.
So where possible, if you can please support our small or regional airlines.