Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) is bringing forward the entry into service dates of four E190s it had previously agreed to wet-lease from Alliance Airlines (QQ, Brisbane International). The change was confirmed via a February 27 Australian Stock Exchange filing.

Qantas already wet-leases twenty-two E190s from Alliance, which it uses to service thinner routes primarily in central and northern Australia. In October 2023, the two airlines announced a deal to increase the fleet to 26 aircraft. The latest filing says the flag carrier asked to bring forward the entry into service dates of those additional aircraft "by several weeks" and that the four aircraft are expected to be flying for Qantas by June 2024.

Qantas also has a further four options. Late last year, Alliance Chairman Steve Padgett told shareholders he was confident Qantas would exercise those options, which would see Alliance operating thirty E190s for the Australian flag carrier.

ch-aviation fleets data shows Alliance Airlines has twenty-nine ERJ 190-100ARs and three ERJ 190-100LRs, twenty-two F100s, and thirteen F70s in its fleet. Alliance is building its E190 fleet to 63 after recently buying thirty ex-JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) E190s from AerCap. Those aircraft started arriving in November 2023. In addition to the Qantas wet leases, Alliance currently uses six E190s on its network and wet leases three to Airnorth (Australia) (TL, Darwin).