Alliance Airlines invests in Adelaide base

Alliance Airlines has announced a major expansion of its Adelaide operations, selecting the city as the location for its second national maintenance facility
to support a rapidly-growing jet fleet.

The airline, which already uses Adelaide to conduct line maintenance and heavy engineering on its fleet of 50-seat Fokker 50 turboprop aircraft, will broaden its activities to include major maintenance on 100-seat Fokker 100 and 75-seat Fokker 70 jet airliners.

Another 10 engineers will be hired by Alliance to provide added maintenance capability in Adelaide, taking to 84 the number of staff employed by the airline in the South Australian capital.

Two Fokker 100 aircraft will arrive in Adelaide from Europe in early August to undergo major maintenance checks prior to entry into service on the airline's growing national network.

In the fourth quarter of this year, Alliance will permanently base a Fokker 100 in the city - the first time it has based jet aircraft in South Australia - to
help support current and future customers with contract and charter flights.

The airline has also expanded into tourism, entering agreements with several major travel companies to fly holidaymakers on charter flights from around Australia to key South Australian tourist destinations including Kangaroo Island, the Flinders Ranges, Lake Eyre and Coober Pedy.