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Air Transport Industry

Bonza claims title for worst on-time arrival results at four Australian airports in January

Australians are still suffering from budget airline Bonza's unreliability issues, one year after its launch.
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A bonza aircraft on a runway

'The journey will take time': Qantas boss promises improved service as airfares, profits fall

Qantas has recorded a 13 per cent fall in its post-tax profit to $873 million in the six months to December 2023, largely driven by lower airfares as its capacity returns to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson stands in front of a Qantas plane in a hanger, with the Flying Kangaroo logo prominently visible.

'The time is right': Jayne Hrdlicka steps down as Virgin Australia CEO after almost four years

Virgin Australia boss Jayne Hrdlicka announces she will step down after almost four years at the helm of the airline.
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A woman with short brown hair wearing a black and red patterned blazer mid-sentence on a stage pointing her finger.

Amsterdam to Detroit flight turns back as maggots rain down on passenger

The woman had to wait for flight attendants to come, who tracked the insects to the overhead compartments.
Aerial view of three elta Airlines grounded planes.

Passengers brace for extended disruption as Qantas subsidiary's regional pilots begin six-day strike

Karratha mum Brooke Turner has had a work trip to Singapore turned upside down by an extended strike by pilots working for Network Aviation.
A woman in a white shirt stands in front of a fenced pool

Flights arriving at Launceston Airport with no aviation firefighters, union says, warning of 'catastrophic consequences'

Thousands of passengers have flown in and out of Tasmania's north without aviation firefighters on hand, a union claims, calling it "extremely dangerous" and accusing the responsible government body of breaching its safety requirements.
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A plane flying in a blue sky.

Two carriers are on board for international flights from Canberra, but keeping them could prove a challenge

It's had a chequered history with getting international travel off the ground but Canberra Airport executives say a smaller, sustainable approach will keep direct, international flights viable for locals. 
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A plane in the sky saying Batik on the side.

Union flags further industrial after regional pilots strike for 24 hours in Western Australia

The Australian Federation of Air Pilots says further industrial action against Qantas subsidiary Network Aviation is a possibility as the dispute heads to the Fair Work Commission.
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The tailfin of a Qantas plane on the tarmac in outback Australia.

Lack of oxygen could have caused fatal plane crash that killed three people: ATSB

A preliminary report suggests hypoxia could be the reason three aerial firefighting crew members, including 22-year-old William Jennings from the US, died when their plane crashed in rural Queensland in November.
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An image of a young man smiling into a camera while wearing a tuxedo.

Mining companies, towns brace for second WA pilot strike in six months

Network Aviation pilots will stop work for 24 hours on Thursday impacting passengers across regional Western Australia who fly with the Qantas subsidiary.
FIFO workers disembarking from a plane.

Planes at major Queensland airport landing without a single firefighter on duty

The firefighters union is demanding the aviation regulator takes action after five Boeing 737s and a further 59 planes arrived at Sunshine Coast Airport with too few firefighters working in the past two months.
Two aviation firefighters stand in front of a specially designed, bright yellow fire truck.

Boeing reports holes not drilled correctly on some new 737 jets, possibly delaying delivery

The plane maker's CEO tells staff the company "will have to perform rework on about 50 undelivered planes".
A close up of the front of a Boeing 737 MAX plane in the air, with its front wheels down

analysis:Australia is awash with oligopolies and the impact is on your bank account

A report into soaring grocery prices, rising energy bills and steep airfares will be released on Wednesday. Its findings and recommendations will cause a headache for some of the country's biggest and most powerful companies, writes Adele Ferguson.
A person shopping at Australian grocery store, with a basket full of sparkling water, fruits and vegetables.

Why is overseas travel so expensive and how can I sneak in a low-cost getaway?

Statistics show a majority of Australians are prioritising travel despite the biting cost of living, even if that means tightening the belt in other areas. We ask experts what it would take for prices to fall and if there are ways to be a savvy traveller.
World map

Coroner's inquiry questions whether recreational pilot was adequately trained before fatal flight

The fiancée of a man who died when his light plane crashed in the Victorian High Country believes he was let down by the system and was not given adequate training to be a safe and competent pilot.
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Matthew Farrell smiles looking at the camera while sitting in the cockpit of a small aeroplane.

Dirt roads and dynamite: How an aviation pioneer's sacking inspired an outback trucking legacy

John Morgan's time spent hauling high explosives over rough roads were among the many audacious deliveries he made working for a company that opened up a remote corner of the country.
A man leaning on a truck with a high explosives sign on the front

Direct flights from Canberra to Asia to resume for the first time since the COVID pandemic

It is announced Batik Air will begin offering flights from Canberra to Bali three times a week from June.
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People at a Bali beach as the sun sets

Boeing to withdraw MAX 7 safety exemption request as scrutiny intensifies following alarming incidents

US politicians had been pressuring the company to withdraw the request following a harrowing mid-air cabin blowout on January 5 that exposed numerous safety and quality control concerns at one of the world's two major jet makers.
The first Boeing 737 MAX 7 is unveiled in Renton, Washington, U.S. February 5, 2018.

'That plane shouldn't have been built': Former Boeing workers slam speed over safety culture

Former workers of aviation giant Boeing allege the aircraft manufacturer has cut corners on its production line to meet deadlines, resulting in defects going unnoticed and compromising safety.
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A Boeing 737 MAX 9 sits under construction in a production facility in the US

Lack of air traffic controllers causing large number of flight delays

Australians have enthusiastically returned to travel post-pandemic, but the government agency responsible for air safety is facing criticism.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 6 minutes 55 seconds

Light plane crash victim's fiance tells inquest pilot's training 'grossly inadequate'

A coronial inquest into the death of a recreational pilot in the Victorian high country has heard weather conditions, mechanical concerns and inexperience could have contributed to the fatal crash.
A man and woman wearing sunglasses and wearing snow gear smile for a selfie with snowy bush in the background.

Has your flight been delayed or cancelled? The reason why might surprise you

Many Australians have been stranded at airports in the past year and have often blamed the major airlines but industry insiders say missteps by a government-owned body are a major reason for the poor service.
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Passenger plane and air traffic control tower at Sydney airport - good generic

Dozens of passengers support man walking onto plane wing in Mexico after take-off delay

Fellow passengers signed a copy of statement saying the man acted to "protect everyone, with the support of everyone".
One aeroplane takes off and three other plans sit on the tarmac.

US regulators approve inspections which could clear Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to fly again

The FAA approves an inspection process that will let US airlines resume flying their Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners, which have been grounded since a side panel blew out of a plane in mid-flight earlier this month.
A Boeing 737 MAX 9 sits under construction in a production facility in the US

'We have an engine fire': Boeing plane's mid-air emergency caught on camera

Investigators say they found a tennis ball-sized hole above one of the plane's engines during a post-flight inspection.
A screenshot from a video showing tops of trees in the foreground and a plane on fire in the sky in the background, at night