Link Airways

Link Airways is a Canberra-based regional airline connecting the Australian capital to destinations across New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. The airline operates a mixed fleet of about 18 aircraft including Saab 340Bs, Fairchild Metro 23 turboprops, and Cessna 441 Conquest IIs. Link serves routes that the major airlines don't find commercially viable -- think Canberra to Brisbane, Canberra to Newcastle, Canberra to Hobart, and Queensland regional services from Brisbane.

The airline is important for Canberra connectivity because the ACT is a relatively small market that's dominated by Qantas and Virgin on the Sydney and Melbourne routes but underserved on other corridors. Link fills those gaps with right-sized aircraft. The Saab 340B operates the larger routes, the Metro 23 handles mid-range services, and the Cessna 441 serves the smallest routes. Link also operates charter and freight services. The airline has grown steadily by identifying underserved route pairs and matching them with appropriately sized aircraft.

The Saab 340B (about 8 aircraft) is the flagship of the Link fleet, carrying 34 passengers in a 1-2 layout. It's the same aircraft type that Rex operates, and the experience is similar: a reliable twin-turboprop for sectors under two hours. The Fairchild Metro 23 (about 5 aircraft) is a smaller turboprop carrying 19 passengers in a 1-1 layout (single seats on each side of a narrow aisle). It's a pressurised aircraft that handles shorter runways and lower-demand routes.

The Cessna 441 Conquest II (about 5 aircraft) is the smallest type in the fleet -- an 8-10 seat pressurised twin-turboprop used for the lowest-demand routes and charter work. Across all types, Link's fleet is suited to the regional mission: short runways, small passenger numbers, and routes where frequency matters more than capacity. The airline maintains its fleet in-house and the aircraft, while not new, are well-maintained and operated safely under CASA regulations.

The experience varies significantly by aircraft type. The Saab 340B is the most comfortable option -- 34 seats in a 1-2 layout, reasonable pitch, and a cabin that feels like a proper regional airliner. The Metro 23 is more utilitarian: 19 seats in a 1-1 layout (one seat on each side of a narrow centre aisle), limited headroom, and small windows. The cabin is pressurised but the ride is bumpier than larger turboprops, and noise levels are higher.

The Cessna 441 is essentially a large private aircraft -- 8-10 seats in a small pressurised cabin. It's intimate and views are excellent, but there's minimal service and the cabin is small. Across all types, expect no seatback entertainment, no WiFi, and basic or no cabin service. These are short flights (30 minutes to 2 hours) on small aircraft, and the value proposition is connectivity rather than comfort. The crew are experienced regional pilots and flight attendants who know their routes intimately.

On the Saab 340B, the same advice applies as for Rex: seat A (single column, left side) in rows 1-3 is the best seat. Avoid the propeller zone (rows 5-8). On the Metro 23, all seats are single seats on either side of a narrow aisle, so there's no middle seat issue. Front seats (rows 1-3) are quieter and closer to the exit. The Metro 23 cabin is narrow enough that window versus aisle isn't really a distinction -- every seat has views and aisle access.

On the Cessna 441, with only 8-10 seats, every position is essentially equivalent. Front seats are marginally quieter. The aircraft is small enough that seat selection doesn't significantly impact the experience -- you're all in the same small cabin for a short flight. Across all Link aircraft, the key decision is matching your expectations to the aircraft type: if you're on a Saab 340B, it's a standard regional turboprop experience; if you're on a Metro 23 or Cessna, it's closer to charter flying.