Alan Joyce may be gone, but his ghost continues to haunt the halls of Qantas HQ at Mascot, with new chairman John Mullen saying at last week’s AGM that the Flying Kangaroo “might well have not survived” COVID-19 without the colourful former CEO and ex-chairman Richard Goyder. His remarks came, however, as a new book from former columnist for The Au…

It’s BITRE season again, and while domestic aviation still lags the long-term averages, there’s one figure where the industry is unexpectedly ahead: in a rare showing, cancellations for September were below the long-term average even as on-time performance continued to struggle. Meanwhile, in another mixed-bag month for the major airlines, which wa…

Angela Garvey recently won the Excellence Award at our Australian Aviation Summit, the title we grant to the overall winner from our nine individual categories. However, she is best known for ‘Navigating Aviation’, a confidential counselling and support service she started following a fatal plane crash in her skydiving business in 2006. More recent…

Following the publication of the Aviation White Paper, Transport Minister Catherine King has introduced Sydney slot reform legislation to Parliament. The amendments make up a number of changes to procedures at Australia’s most important airport, but how much of a difference will they make? This week, Adam and Jake discuss the latest developments, w…

It’s been a big news week for the two major domestic airlines, with Virgin confirming long-held speculation that Qatar Airways is looking to take a 25 per cent stake (and announcing wet-leased flights to Doha), while Qantas tries to resolve engineering strikes as it increases its international capacity and launches a slick new North American ad cam…

Between Qantas and Jetstar, Qantas Group is undoubtedly the biggest name in Australia’s skies, with Virgin Australia a fairly distant second – which has led some, including opposition transport spokesperson Bridget McKenzie, to call for its break-up. In a recent poll, almost half of those surveyed thought Qantas should be made to sell its low-cost …

It’s been almost two months since Rex collapsed into administration and scrapped its domestic jet services, and the latest BITRE data shows that airfares – both sale prices and standard economy seats – have seen a sharp increase. With the Qantas-Virgin duopoly once again ruling Australia’s skies, how much of this increase can be attributed to loss …

Amanda Harrison attempted to recreate the first solo flight by a woman from England to Australia in 1930. That original journey was undertaken by the pioneering Amy Johnson in a Gipsy Moth, so Harrison, attempting to be as true to the challenge as possible, undertook hers in a 1942 Tiger Moth. Unfortunately, she had to abandon her mission due to ai…

It’s results season, and Qantas, Air New Zealand and Alliance have all posted profits – though the narrative around them is very different. Qantas is slightly down on last year, but still above pre-COVID profits, while Air New Zealand has seen its own profit slashed in half due to economic headwinds – and while Alliance posted the smallest profit i…

It’s been a long time coming, and at last, this week saw the release of the federal government’s Aviation White Paper. The government has pushed consumer protections to the forefront of its agenda, with a new independent ombudsman to take over from the industry-funded Airline Customer Advocate, and a Charter of Customer Rights on the horizon. Adam …

Joel Neeb is a former F-15 pilot who flew thousands of missions for the US Air Force, including escorting Air Force One and patrolling the skies in the days after 9/11. Rising to become lieutenant colonel, he trained hundreds of others to do the same as chief instructor pilot. More impressively, after he left the military, he became a hugely succes…

Later this month, we will host our first Australian Aviation Summit in partnership with Leidos Australia. The event will tackle the biggest topics in the industry, including how the sector can begin to fix its chronic talent shortage. In this special episode, Jesse Young, head of flight operations at Leidos, and Lea Vesic, CEO of RMIT’s Aviation Ac…

With Bonza gone and Rex fighting for its life in voluntary administration, the spotlight has once again turned to an old argument: that slot allocation at Sydney Airport unfairly advantages the major players. As the federal government looks to put Sydney slot management out to tender, do Qantas and Virgin really have their thumbs on the scales, as …

In a matter of months, a second Australian airline has gone into voluntary administration: this time it’s Rex, whose ambitions of challenging Qantas and Virgin on capital city flights with 737-800s have dramatically hit the rocks. But with its regional Saab 340B flights still running, and the federal government signalling it doesn’t want to see Rex…

In one of the most dramatic tech outages in history, a botched update by cyber security company CrowdStrike last Friday crippled computers around the world – and Australia’s aviation sector did not escape unscathed. Airlines were left unable to check in customers and their baggage, airports were swamped with passengers on delayed and cancelled flig…

With the ashes yet cooling on Bonza’s funeral pyre, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson made an eyebrow-raising suggestion at the Flying Kangaroo’s Perth–Paris launch last week: that Australia can’t sustain more than, say, three major domestic airline groups (coincidentally, the number it has now). As the country reacquaints itself with the old familiar Qant…

Australian Aviation is gearing up to host our third annual awards next month in association with UNSW and its School of Aviation. The university recently hosted a panel examining sustainability in the sector, featuring some of the most influential figures in the industry. The panel included Rex’s Ron Bartsch, Qantas’ Harry Jobberns and Jet Zero’s E…

In the end, it was all but inevitable – after losing its planes, cancelling its flights, sacking its staff and failing to find a buyer, Bonza is no more, with creditors making the decision to wind up the airline and put an end to what were once lofty dreams of bringing low-cost airfares to destinations that had never seen them before. As its purple…

As Bonza’s administrator looks set to finally close the curtain on the stricken airline, a new YouGov survey has revealed 50 per cent of Australians believe the government should step in and back low-cost airlines in the name of affordability and consumer choice. With more than 300 airlines reportedly having gone under in Australia over the last ce…

Despite Virgin attracting some major allies in its fight for more capacity to Bali, ultimately Jetstar looks to have prevailed, with the IASC awarding Qantas Group the coveted seats. So what tipped the scales in Jetstar’s favour – and why did Virgin fall short? Adam and Jake look at the decision and what it means for Bali-bound travellers. Plus, wh…

It wasn’t the news more than 300 Bonza employees wanted to hear – but after a buyer for the grounded carrier failed to materialise, administrator Hall Chadwick has sacked all staff and cancelled every future flight. With Bonza now seeming to be running on borrowed time, is there now any hope for a miracle rescue or a silver lining for hundreds of d…

It was meant to be the crowning achievement of the budding British airship industry: R101, a majestic “ocean liner of the skies” that would ferry passengers all across the world in style and comfort. Yet on its maiden international flight in October 1930, the dreams of an empire went up in flames as R101 crashed and exploded in a field in the north…

Will Bonza fly again? That’s the question that has been on the mind of the aviation sector ever since the low-cost carrier went into voluntary administration at the end of April, with its planes seized and its employees stood down without notice. Administrator Hall Chadwick certainly believes it can get Bonza back in the skies, winning another two …

For 19 months, Qantas reigned as Australia’s most reliable airline group – but no more, with Virgin Australia last month knocking the Flying Kangaroo off its perch in a clean sweep of on-time arrivals, on-time departures and cancellations. With both major domestic airline groups now at or approaching long-term averages for reliability, will the tre…

Richard (Rick) Garner is a non-executive director on the board of Qantas Superannuation and an A330 pilot. He’s also, incredibly, an award-winning mortgage broker who worked in financial services and now runs his own firm, Crew Financial. In this crossover podcast with Australian Aviation’s sister podcast brand The Adviser, Rick discusses his love …

A week after Bonza’s fleet was abruptly seized in a move that sent shockwaves through the Australian aviation sector, the airline is still yet to get back in the air as its administrator fights to save it. With a big question mark over the future of its planes, and all eyes turning to its parent company 777 Partners, who is to blame for Bonza’s pre…

It was as sudden as it was brutal: grounded planes, stranded passengers, and chaos across the east coast as Bonza suspended its services without warning. With reports that its entire fleet had been repossessed in the dead of night, emergency talks about the ongoing viability of the business ended in Bonza entering voluntary administration – so what…

Bonza has come out swinging after reports in The Australian Financial Review that consultant KordaMentha had been called in to advise the airline. In one of the more blunt denials we’ve seen, the low-cost carrier’s CEO, Tim Jordan, has insisted KordaMentha “has not been appointed as financial advisors to Bonza, or in any other capacity” – so what’s…

With tensions flaring between Israel and Iran, Qantas has paused its non-stop Perth–London services, adding a new stop in Singapore on the northbound journey. Given the difficulties of avoiding Iranian airspace between Perth and London while staying within the safe range of a 787-9 Dreamliner, is the Flying Kangaroo hurting for the lack of its new …

Qantas has unveiled a massive shake-up to its frequent flyer program, adding 20 million new seats per year. The “Classic Plus” seats will cost more than the existing 5 million annual “Classic Rewards” seats, but will be more reliably available to passengers looking to spend their hard-earned frequent flyer points. Adam and Jake discuss the pros and…

No sooner have the Network Aviation strikes in WA ended than Airservices Australia becomes the next big name in the sector to face industrial action, as aviation rescue firefighters plan a work stoppage for 15 April and air traffic controllers apply for a strike vote. Amid arguments over “leaked documents”, pay rises, and passenger safety, what imp…

Heads are continuing to roll at Boeing, with the CEO and chairman both announcing their retirement by the end of the year. It’s the latest fallout in the ongoing turmoil stemming from the mid-air blowout on board an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January – but will even these senior figures falling on their swords prove to be too little, too late? Ad…

In a bid to boost Air Force recruitment, Defence has launched a cinematic new advertising campaign spruiking all the different roles available in the RAAF. Featuring footage of (and shot in) actual RAAF aircraft, the ad blitz aims to get more young people interested in an Air Force career – but will it work? Adam and Jake discuss whether the “Up Th…

Pet-loving passengers rejoice – Virgin Australia is allowing literal ‘sky kittens’ on its planes, with small dogs and cats soon to be allowed in the cabin on select domestic flights. Naturally, there are caveats, of course: pets will need to be confined to approved carriers stored under the seat in front, and will be limited to certain rows, so you…

This week, Bonza quietly revealed its Canadian aircraft would be gaining their Australian passports, switching from a wet to dry lease agreement. Adam and Jake discuss what this means for the airline’s future, and whether it could eventually fly from Sydney to Melbourne. Plus, Jetstar staff have got a fashion makeover in time for the new season. Bu…

Last week, Qantas released another set of impressive financial results that showed the airline is continuing its historic performance post-pandemic. But buried deep down was the news that the first A350 set to fly Project Sunrise direct flights from New York to Sydney was set to be delayed by six months. This episode, Jake and Adam discuss what it …

This week, Virgin Australia’s CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, shocked the industry by stepping down as the airline’s CEO. But has she left on a high, or is there more to the departure than meets the eye? This week, Adam and Jake discuss the latest and speculate on who could take the top job. Plus, the pair discuss never-ending strikes at Qantas and the return…

Babcock Australasia and Ambulance Victoria perform vital work in the state, serving 5.5 million people and retrieving or treating 6,000 patients a year – many of them in critical condition. This week, we speak to two of Babcock’s aviation personnel working on the front line, senior base pilot Heath Mastin and senior aircrew officer Ryan Hurrell. Th…

Former fighter pilot Christian “Boo” Boucousis was one of the original hosts of the Australian Aviation Podcast when it launched in 2020. Now he’s back from his new home of Miami, Florida, to talk about how the industry has changed from the dark days of the pandemic. He tells host Adam Thorn why the enhanced opportunities to fly in the US don’t com…

This week, Qantas unveiled a flash new safety video that took in destinations as varied as Litchfield National Park and Lapland. The problem is not one bit of it was filmed in an aircraft. This week, the team discuss whether it’s too smart for its own good, endangering safety, or whether the Flying Kangaroo’s critics are more interested in holding …

The release of the December BITRE data for on-time domestic performance has seen carriers such as Rex and Qantas rush to claim victory over their rivals. But with on-time performance across the board still well below the long-term average – plus airfares still too high – should major airlines really be celebrating? Adam and Jake crunch the numbers,…

So much for New Year’s resolutions. As we enter 2024, Virgin and Qantas are attacking each other in a bid to operate lucrative flights to Bali. Virgin says Qantas relies too heavily on overseas aircrew, while Qantas says Virgin charges too much. Who are we to believe? In this episode, Adam and Jake discuss the latest. Plus, with flights at record n…

Over the Christmas holidays, two major international aviation stories got Australians talking, with radically different impacts for planemakers. Airbus was hailed for its innovative aircraft design after everybody onboard an exploding A350 miraculously escaped unharmed. However, Boeing faced another backlash after a door on an Alaska Airlines 737 M…

It’s been an unpleasant couple for weeks for Bonza, the new kid on the Australian aviation block, with mass cancellations of its new Gold Coast routes while it waits for CASA to clear its wet-lease operations with Flair. With customers fuming and damage control efforts underway, whose fault is the Gold Coast debacle, and what could have been done d…

In November, UNSW Aviation held a panel to discuss the government’s aviation white paper, which will create a long-term strategy for the industry for the next three decades. The session featured a collection of senior figures who gave a diverse range of views, including those who are pilots, lawyers, executives and policy experts. It was chaired by…

In a spectacular proof of concept, Virgin Atlantic has flown the world’s first commercial flight – from London to New York – powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from waste fats and plant sugars. At a time when standards dictate a maximum of 50 per cent SAF blend, will Virgin Atlantic’s argument of “if you make it, we’ll fly …

In the wake of Alan Joyce’s exit from the Flying Kangaroo, aviation luminary Peter Harbison has released Alan Joyce and Qantas: The Trials and Transformation of an Australian Icon. The book charts the former CEO’s life and career, from his youth in Ireland through to his defection from Ansett to Qantas, his role in the launch of Jetstar, and his tu…

First Alan Joyce, now this – Australian Aviation’s Chris Fenton is leaving us. In his (sort of) final episode, the team farewells the man who has held almost every job in aviation. But before he goes, Adam, Jake and Chris discuss the week’s biggest stories, including Virgin’s deteriorating relationship with the unions and the ongoing row over singl…

It’s been another rough few weeks for Qantas, with the public unimpressed by the airline’s claim that it doesn’t sell tickets for specific flights but “bundles of contractual rights”. With the Flying Kangaroo already on the nose for allegedly selling more than 8,000 tickets to already-cancelled flights, will the optics of that defence do more harm …

Earlier this year, UNSW Aviation held a special panel at the university, examining how a just culture can be improved to facilitate advances in aviation safety. The session featured a panel of industry experts who gave a diverse range of views, including figures from CASA, Qantas and the Australian and International Air Pilots Association. It was c…