{{Short description|Australian airline}} {{other uses|Airlink (disambiguation)}} {{distinguish|Link Airways}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox airline |airline = Air Link |logo = Air Link logo.svg |logo_size = 150 |IATA = LZ |founded = 1974 |hubs = Dubbo Regional Airport |secondary_hubs = Bankstown<br>Archerfield<br>Essendon |focus_cities = |fleet_size = 21 |destinations = |parent = Aviation Logistics Holdings |headquarters = Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia |key_people = Matthew Kline and Mark Wardrop |num_employees = 50 |website = [http://www.airlinkairlines.com.au/ www.airlinkairlines.com.au]}}
'''Air Link''' is an Australian airline based in Dubbo, New South Wales. It operates air charter services and recommenced regular passenger services in November 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Air Link and FlyPelican bringing flights back to Western NSW|url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2019/08/air-link-and-flypelican-bringing-flights-back-to-western-nsw/ |accessdate=20 October 2019 |publisher=Australian Aviation|date=27 August 2019}}</ref> As of 2024, Aviation Logistics Holdings (ALH) who owns Air Link, AirMed and Chartair, employs nearly 300 staff and owns and operates 70 aircraft across its seven bases in four states. Aviation Logistics Group operates one of Australia's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft across its subsidiaries and associated companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aviation Logistics Group operates Australia's largest fleet of general aviation aircraft across our subsidiaries and associated companies. |url=https://www.aviationlogistics.com.au/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=www.aviationlogistics.com.au}}</ref> Air Link has bases in Dubbo, Brisbane (Archerfield), Sydney (Bankstown) and Melbourne (Essendon).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-17 |title=Air Link {{!}} Charter Flights |url=https://airlinkairlines.com.au/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==History== [[File:Airlink at Dubbo City Regional Airport.jpg|thumb|Air Link headquarters at Dubbo Regional Airport]] [[File:VHDVR Walgett.jpg|thumb|Piper Chieftain at Walgett Airport in the 2019 livery]] Air Link commenced operations in 1974 as an aircraft charter operation based in Dubbo. In 1989 the company was acquired by David and Barbara Miller. Regular regional airline services across western New South Wales were commenced in 1991, when Hazelton Airlines divested itself of its piston-engined aircraft and the routes served by those aircraft. On 30 November 2005 Regional Express Holdings Air Link, with David Miller appointed as Chief Executive, and it was run as an independent airline within the Regional Express group.<ref>Rex acquires Air Link ''Australian Aviation'' issue 224 January 2006 pages 15/16</ref><ref>Directory: World Airlines ''Flight International'' 27 March 2007 page 59</ref>
On 10 November 2008 Regional Express Holdings announced that Air Link would cease all scheduled operations on 20 December and concentrate on its air charter and aircraft maintenance business.<ref>[http://www.rex.com.au/MediaAndPressClippings/ShowNews.aspx?site=IR&nid=196&page= "Change to Air Link Operations" - Regional Express Media Release.] Retrieved: 10 November 2008</ref> Scheduled services resumed again in 2014 with a daily return service between Dubbo and Sydney operated on behalf of Regional Express Airlines. In 2015, services commenced to Cobar with a Beech 1900D and in December 2017 Air Link ceased these flights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cobarweekly.com.au/?p=5047|title=Council hopeful of future air services|website=Cobar Weekly}}</ref>
At the start of 2018 the company ceased all operations for Regional Express, with the sole remaining Beech 1900D sold<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.casa.gov.au/aircraft-register?search_api_views_fulltext=&vh=rue&field_ar_serial=|title = Aircraft register search|date = 2 September 2021}}</ref> and soon after suspended all charter flights. In September 2018, Regional Express Holdings sold the Air Link business to Aviation Logistics Holdings. From November 2019, Air Link recommenced regular passenger services with flights to Bourke, Lightning Ridge and Walgett using its Piper Chieftain fleet. From 2019, the fleet has been progressively refurbished, particularly to incorporate the company's new stylised logo.
==Destinations== [[File:Air Link (VH-DVR) Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain at Sydney Airport.jpg|thumb|Piper Chieftain in the pre 2019 livery]] [[File:Air Link (VH-RUI) Beechcraft 1900D at Sydney Airport.jpg|thumb|Beech 1900D at Sydney Airport]] Prior to the cessation of scheduled services in December 2008, Air Link operated to the following destinations:<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081020084235/http://www.airlinkairlines.com.au/bwWebsite/ Flights] Air Link</ref> *Bathurst *Bourke *Cobar *Coonamble *Lightning Ridge *Mudgee *Sydney *Walgett
Prior to the second cessation of scheduled services, Air Link operated to the following destinations on behalf of Regional Express Airlines: *Cobar *Dubbo *Sydney
Destinations from the recommencement of services in November 2019: * Bourke * Lightning Ridge * Walgett
==Fleet== As of February 2024, the fleet consists of the following aircraft: {| class="wikitable" |+ Caption text |- ! Aircraft !! Number !! Notes |- | Cessna 310R || 2 || |- | Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain || 10 || |- | Piper PA-31P Mojave || 3 || Pressurized |- | Cessna CitationJet/M2 || 1 || |- | Cessna CJ2+ || 1 || |- | Cessna Citation Mustang || 4 || |- | Cessna Citation Mustang || 3 || Medical |- | Beechcraft King Air || 2 || |- | Beechcraft Baron || 1 || |}
===Formerly operated=== *Beechcraft 1900D
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} *[http://www.airlinkairlines.com.au/ Official website]
{{Airlines of Australia}} {{Regional Aviation Association of Australia}}
Category:Airlines established in 1971 Category:Airlines of Australia Category:Companies based in New South Wales Category:Dubbo Category:Regional Aviation Association of Australia Category:Transport in New South Wales Category:1971 establishments in Australia