These Airlines Operate The Active Dash 8 Aircraft With The Most Seats

The DeHavilland
Dash 8 has a
history that spans close to four decades
. More than a thousand aircraft of this type have been produced (and delivered) to date. With operations spanning from continents such as Australia to North America, this twin-turboprop developed from the Dash7 is one of the best choices for short-haul operations.

Photo: Diane J Payne | Shutterstock

There are quite a few variants of the aircraft, such as the Dash 8-Q200 and Dash 8-Q300. But the Dash 8-Q400 can accommodate more passengers than the other two.

Comparing the number of passengers across the variants of the Dash 8

The original version of the DeHavilland Dash 8 was called the Series 100. The production of this variant, which could accommodate 37–39 passengers, ceased in 2009. According to AeroCorner, the Series 200, which followed later, could accommodate a similar number of passengers.

The Q300, on the other hand, could carry 50-56 passengers, and the Q400 accommodates more passengers than any other aircraft variant of the Dash 8 family. AeroCorner revealed that the Q400 could “easily” carry 76 passengers and that the 2×2 configuration of this aircraft type devoid of middle seats is extremely popular with passengers.

However, there are quite a few carriers that have operated the Dash 8 with 86 passengers or more. Let’s take a look at the details behind the high-density turboprops.

Qazaq Air

Qazaq Air (IQ) is an airline based in Kazakhstan and, according to data from planespotters.net, has a fleet size of five aircraft. This all-Bombardier DHC-8-400 operator has an average fleet age of 7.7 years. All of these aircraft were delivered to the carrier between June and July 2021.

According to Qazaq Air, it operates seventeen direct flights. The airline also claims that its Dash 8-Q400s count as “#1 for direct flights from the capital of the country”. The Dash 8s of Qazaq also fly to and from Siberia. Two of its Dash 8s that are configured to carry 86 passengers are also the youngest in its fleet.

According to data from flightera.net, some of the routes of these two aircraft include:

• Nursultan Nazarbayev Airport (NQZ), Kazakhstan – Petropavl International Airport (PPK), Kazakhstan
• Koltsovo International Airport (SVX), Russia – Nursultan Nazarbayev Airport, Kazakhstan

PAL Express

This wholly owned subsidiary of Philippines Airlines operates ten DeHavilland Dash 8s that can accommodate 86 passengers. Two Dash 8-Q400s of PAL Express that are configured for 86 passengers are younger than the ones operated by Qazaq Air. They are 4.59 and 4.65 years old. These were delivered at the start of 2020.

Only two of the ten aircraft with high-density seating on the Dash-8s of PAL Express are more than seven years old.

Last year, Air Canada
(AC) and PAL Express reached
an agreement to operate PAL’s Dash 8s for the Canadian flag carrier
. On July 1, 2023, the first of these flights took place between St. John’s International Airport (YYT) and Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). On that occasion, PAL Express commented:

“The commercial agreement will see PAL Airlines acquire up to six additional Dash 8-400 aircraft to be progressively introduced into service on behalf of Air Canada for a term of up to five years. This is the most recent in a series of agreements achieved between the two carriers which have built connectivity and enhanced regional travel options in eastern Canada through the addition of PAL Airlines as an Aeroplan partner…”

Two of the ten Dash 8s (operated by PAL Express) with a high number of passengers are five years old, while the remaining ones average a little over six years.

National Jet Express

National Jet Express (NC) has a base at Brisbane Airport
(BNE) and is the premier Fly-In, Fly-Out (FIFO) operator in the state of Queensland, Australia. The FIFO operator has a total of ten Dash 8s. According to Airways Magazine, the carrier received its tenth aircraft only a week or so ago.

Avmax Aircraft Leasing Inc. (AALI) had leased the aircraft to National Jet Express and the CEO of AALI, on the occasion, hinted that AALI might help NC lease more aircraft:

“NJE is our first Dash 8-Q400 lessee in Australia, and we look forward to supporting them with additional regional aircraft and spare parts for their fleet.”

Photo: Rex

Out of these ten aircraft, the one registered VH-8QA is 6.21 years old and can carry 86 passengers. In April, the aircraft was
deployed as a part of the expansion of NC’s operations
from Brisbane Airport as it landed at Orange Regional Airport. The other airports in Queensland where VH-8QA flies in and out of include:

• Townsville Airport (TSV)
• Cairns Airport (CNS)
• Moranbah Airport (MOV)

SpiceJet- the carrier with the highest seating density

SpiceJet
of India is the only carrier that configures one of its Dash 8s to fit 90 passengers. This aircraft is registered VT-SQE and is 5.68 years old. The aircraft was delivered to the carrier in January 2019. The name of this aircraft is Shahi Zeera and it comes from the name of a spice that is typically used in Indian cuisine.

According to flightera.net, the aircraft has averaged six flights per week and covered close to a million flight miles in the last year. SpiceJet operates this aircraft primarily from Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
to other airports in India, such as:

• Kangra-Gaggal Airport (DHM) in Dharamshala, India
• Shillong Airport (SHL) in Meghalaya, India