Virgin Australia Regional to sell off Fokker 50 fleet

Virgin Australia Regional (XR, Perth Int'l) is to dispose of its fleet of eight Fokker 50s parent Virgin Australia (VA, Brisbane Int'l) has announced. The decision was taken after a review of the type's future commercial market prospects which, Virgin Australia said, were bleak. As such, the Fokker Aircraft (Woensdrecht) turboprops will be sold off during the first half of next year.

Instead, the carrier says it will make up for the lost capacity by adding four Fokker 100s and an A320-200 - its third. 

According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, Virgin Australia Regional employs its Fokker 50 fleet on a mixture of regular as well as charter contract flights connecting Albany, WA, Esperance, Geraldton, WA, Ravensthorpe with Perth Int'l, Emerald and Miles with Brisbane Int'l, and Carnarvon and Geraldton, WA with Paraburdoo.

Formerly Skywest Airlines (Australia) (XR, Perth Int'l), Virgin Australia Regional also operates fourteen Fokker 100s and fourteen ATR72-500/600s.

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