Alliance Airlines QF1960 Darwin to Alice Springs
Flight Details:
Airlines: Alliance Airlines
Flight: QF1960 DRW - ASP
Reg: VH-UYK
Aircraft: Embraer E190LR
Class: Business
Departure Darwin International Gate 4: 4.15pm
Arrival Alice Springs Airport: 6.20pm
Flight time: 2 hours 05 mins
Distance: 1301 kilometers or 808 miles
VIDEO: Alliance Airlines QF1960 Darwin to Alice Springs
Flight routing
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4QF1960 - Business - Darwin - Alice Springs - Embraer E19L
- 5QF791 - Economy - Alice Springs - Sydney - Boeing 737-800
Introduction
This trip report is from Dec 2022. This trip report is the continuation of "Great Aussie Fly" series. Spent couple of days in Darwin and it was time to fly to Alice Springs.
Pre-Departure
I had booked the flight in economy.
I received email from Qantas regarding upgrading to Business. I bid and got accepted.
Aircraft on this route was Embraer E190-100
I logged in Qantas website and changed seat and selected 2A as 1A was occupied.
Screenshot of boarding pass after checkin
Driving Trip
After reaching Darwin, next day I drove to Litchfield National Park.
Speed Limit - 130kms per hour, only state in Australia. In other states, it is 110kms max.
Few years ago in Northern Territory, there was no speed limit.Speed of 130kms introduced for safety. I missed the opportunity to move the needle to the other end of the scale.
Arriving at Airport
On day of travel, I drove around Darwin after checking out of hotel.
Arrived at airport early to return the car key.
Collected my bags and walked towards the terminal.
Rental car parking
Entry through the arrival area.
Flight schedule - 1International flight to Dili, Timor-Leste.
Departure information
Check-In
I had plenty of time for check-in, I waited for sometime charging the phone in sitting area. Saw a Hercules C130J departing Darwin.
Walking through passage towards check-in. Check-in opened and I showed the boarding card in phone.
Ground staff handed me a boarding pass and baggage receipt.
I was informed about the Qantas lounge and direction after completing security.
Security
There was no queue for security. I was able to clear in less than a minute.
Departure
After completing security, took escalator to departure area.
Walked towards the left after entering the departure area. Lounge was close to departure gate 4.
Looking towards other side
Qantas Lounge
Entered and scanned the boarding pass at reception.
Menu - Sliced bread, Bread rolls, Spiced lentil soup (V -Veg, GF- Gluten Free), Cocktail Samosa(V), Butter Chicken(GF), Steamed Rice, Kachumber Salad(GF,V), sliced meat, sandwich fillings, GF Bread
Video: Qantas Lounge
My selection below, Samosa was mild but tasty. Butter chicken was good. Soup was perfect for my taste, spicy and uplifting.
Found a corner with air-side view, Air North in view.
Jetstar arrives
I had time and decided to have wine.
Bottle with wine
Had with chips
Chose a different wine
Wine and food.
Planespotting
Watched the aircraft arrive from Brisbane.
A short taxi to gate after arriving almost on time.
Taxi to gate
I wasn't far but decided to head back and wait near the gate.
Walking towards exit.
outside the lounge, in departure area.
Alliance Airlines parked at gate.
Waiting area
Passengers arriving from Brisbane.
Crew wishing disembarking passengers
Waiting for boarding call.
Walked around while waiting.
Alliance Airlines VH-UYK operating to Alice Springs
Jetstar Airways to Sydney
Boarding
Boarding call was made 10 minutes after schedule time. Boarding card was scanned and allowed to continue towards aircraft.
Front view
Crew at the door.
On board
Outside view
Observation- On Embraer E190, overhead locker on the port side has limited space. can't fix a small backpack. Starboard side has ample space, suitcase can easily fit.
Business class had 2 passengers - me and another passenger. Seating config - 1-2
Embraer E190
Seat view while waiting for pushback
Window view
Air vent
leather seats
Pushback and taxi
Pushback commenced soon
followed by taxi
Air North viewed earlier from lounge.
Air control
Departure from runway 29
Thunderstorm developing as Darwin is in closer to equator
Waiting for incoming aircraft
Crossing the runway
Taxi towards runway
View of the runway
Departure
Departing towards the North
Turning East
Large windows
SEAT Pocket Material [SPM]
Seat pocket contained the inflight magazine, air sickness bag and safety card
back view
Inflight magazine
Embraer E190 safety card
Safety card
Back
MEal Service
Meal service began after an hour in flight. Choice was Veg salad or Beef. I chose salad, which was made of sweet potato. Asked for red wine along with water.
Meal over and tray was collected.
Window view
Engine view
Plenty of space, had kept the chocolate aside to eat later. Forgot to remove it after landing.
Closer to Alice Springs
Bright light through window.
Cloudy on approach
Descend commenced after pilot informed landing would be in 20 minutes
Beautiful view on approach
Few turns to reduce altitude
Twilight view as aircraft is on finals.
Landed few minutes behind schedule
Air storage
Qantaslink on tarmac
Taxi to parking bay
Parked next to Qantaslink Embraer E190
Disembarkation
Seat view - with chocolate left behind. Disembarkation using stairs. Followed by walk across the tarmac.
Disembarkation in progress. Though it was cloudy, light was good.
Airport signboard
Qantaslink engine start, planes parked in storage.
Walking towards terminal
Directions
Entering the terminal
Walking towards baggage claim
Flight details
Car rental counters in arrival area. I had to collect car keys.While waiting for bags to arrive, got it sorted. I was only person picking a rental car. Counter staff waited for the flight arrival. After serving me, she closed counter and left.
Flight schedule
My bag arrived first.
Exiting the Terminal
Exited the terminal after collecting bag.
Alice Springs Airport
Directions to exit
Found car in the parking lot as informed during pick-up.
Suzuki Baleno
Loaded bag and was ready to exit the parking.
It got dark by the time, I reached hotel. As I had food onboard. I prepared bag for next day trip. I would be driving from Alice Springs to Uluru and back in a day.
Flight Details
Flight details
Aircraft rotation
Flight details
I had registered for National Park pass as I had planned to drive to Uluru.
Very cool to see a review on one of the QQ's ex-Copa E190s!
Australian Domestic lounges are so much nicer than US domestic lounges--the domestic premium cabin flying experience in general is much nicer than in the US!
The cabin looks pretty much unchanged from its days at COPA--it needs at least a seat cover refresher as it's looking a little worn, considering QQ have only had these aircraft for 2 years or so.
The meal looks really nice for such a short flight, and is seems QF have better short-haul J catering than competitors Virgin and Rex.
It's too bad QF never installed streaming IFE on these. They had originally announced that they were planning to in 2022, but it never materialised--I assume it was too complex considering the a/c are owned by Alliance Airlines and the proposed full takeover by QF of QQ hasn't happened yet.
Thanks for sharing!
Flying domestically in Australia has been a pleasant experience.
This trip was my first on Embraer. The port-side overhead bin on E190 is very small, it could not fit a small handbag.
Seat were comfortable but cover need a change on this aircraft. Being a short flight, I didn't miss the entertainment.
Thank you.