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<postdate>2024-12-17 12:58:14</postdate>
<headline>Retired? The last of the 717s still flying the skies</headline>
<body><p><img class=" wp-image-335484" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_1230-scaled-e1734400328215.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" /></p>
<caption>The last of the Boeing 717 pictured at Canberra Airport on Monday. Photo: Scott Mayman</caption>
<p><span class="kicker-line">By aviation writer <strong>Scott Mayman</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>The last of QantasLink's Boeing 717 jets was retired in October, but it appears to have remained in service and was last spotted on Monday at Canberra Airport.</strong></p>
<p>The Boeing 717 aircraft was being replaced by the newer Airbus A220 jets.</p>
<p>The final flight was supposed be QF1511 from Sydney to Canberra on October 26, ending a 24-year career flying in and out of the national capital.</p>
<p>All of the QantasLink Boeings have been flown to the US,  except for this one.</p>
<p>In early November, it was back in service, flying to Perth and working another three weeks in WA.</p>
<p>The aircraft was then ferried back to Canberra to help out while there was some teething issues with the newer Airbus A220 jet.</p>
<p>It's been flying between Sydney and Hobart,  back to Canberra Airport and was used on services to Melbourne.</p>
<p>The immediate fate of the faithful 717 jet isn't known.</p>
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