Australian Air Express using Qantas callsign?
 

I hear the callsign Qantas 73XX sometimes and they seem to be doing the 737 freight runs for Australian Air Express. So why do they have a Qantas callsign? Are they operated by Qantas crews?

Its owned by qantas. There are no "AAE" callsigns.

I remember I used to hear Jetex as their callsign

Australian air Express is a joint venture between Qantas Airways Ltd and Australia Post Corporation.

Ok, thanks for that. So they have their own crews?

Yes. The QF callsign has caused some difficulties on the ground in SYD at times.

I recall a night when an aircraft (ANZ I think) was eastbound on golf and told to pass behind the QF 737 southbound on Charlie. The only problem with that was that ATC was referring to an AAE 737 and the ANZ on golf was holding for the QF 737 behind AAE. Of course the QF 737 had been told to hold short of Golf and pass behind ANZ and we ended up in a Mexican stand off in a very busy ATC environment (pushing curfew and lots of movements).

Sliding in from the west at Adelaide, we were instructed to join on final 23 behind a Virgin coming from the east, in their early days. Expecting a red one we could only spot a white one from a distance so kept looking. The penny finally dropped that it was a white one with red trim when we got closer. Guess we weren't the only ones caught initially.. thread drift

I imagine the historical confusion would be the reason behind why all their flight plans now include RMK/AIRCRAFT IN AAE LIVERY.

Yep they have their own crews. Last time i spoke to one they had a fairly cruisy lifestyle too. :ok:

I wouldn't say that; $70oddk for working 8 nights a month as an FO sounds pretty cruisy.

Thats about how many o'nights I do and make less.