Jarse,
I'm with you mate. The old "jet" chestnut has been doing the rounds since I care to remember. We, at SAA of course did have jets, but the catch phrase at EAA has been going around since Adam was a boy.
The LINK of course does have a fleet of jets now; 13 of them actually. And the word on the street is that at least 5 more are required for the east coast. I don't need to remind folks here that the agreement between QF and NC was only renewed last year for another 6 years with a 2 year extension on the clause. That would be 2019 folks. I would not want to be holding my breath at EAA/SSA for the figment of the imagination of many.
I have been on the record before for saying that any red tail expansion by a wholly owned subsidiary of QF would be via the expansion of Network, and I still stand by that statement. Time will tell I guess, but as previously stated, don't hold your breath 32 MP.
And just food for thought. If QF are as extremely happy with NC as they state they are, well wouldn't it make more cents(sic) for QF(read cheaper) to keep that venture going. After all, it then becomes NC's problem(expense) re crewing/engineering/admin etc and QF get the service without having the extra capitol outlay and personnel on the books.
I am quite sure that if QF could contract out every part of their labour force to an external labour supplier, they would!