Air New Zealand plans to boost capacity between Perth and Christchurch when it uses the 787-9 Dreamliner on the seasonal route from December. Previously, Air NZ’s Perth-Christchurch flights, which operate during the summer months, have been flown with 230-seat Boeing 767-300ERs comprising 24 in business and 206 in economy. However, the airline said on Tuesday it would deploy the 787-9s...
Sunshine Coast Airport’s proposed new runway will allow the fast-growing airport to open new markets and ease operational constraints on existing airlines flying to the Queensland tourist destination, the local council and tourism body says. The new runway at the council-owned airport is the centrepiece of a $347 million expansion project which is still waiting for final approvals. The...
Virgin Australia has tapped its four major shareholders for a $A425 million loan facility as part of a fresh review of its balance sheet. The 12-month, $A425 million loan facility with Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Sir Richard Branson’s UK-based Virgin Group would provide the company with “additional flexibility in the short-term” as it conducts...
A firepower demonstration conducted at Puckapunyal on Friday as part of the RAAF’s Exercise Jericho Dawn series has successfully validated the use of Northrop Grumman’s ‘airborne gateway’ technology, carried on a Gulfstream II demonstrator aircraft, to allow data to be shared between various ADF platforms including F/A-18F Super Hornets, Tiger ARH helicopters and the Wedget...
Air New Zealand has opened the doors to a new premium lounge at Brisbane Airport, the latest example of the airline’s investment in the Australian market as it seeks to attract more travellers from this side of the Tasman onto its long-haul services. The facility, which was built in a brand new space at the southern end of the Brisbane international terminal, welcomed its first guests on...
The government has approved the acquisition of a second batch of four P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. Acquisition of eight Boeing P-8As was approved in 2014 (and the first aircraft are now under assembly), but the recently released Defence White Paper’s accompanying Integrated Investment Program (IIP) revealed that, “Eight Poseidon aircraft will be introduced in the ea...
It was a proud moment for Darwin pilot Dean Ham as he landed the first passenger jet from the Northern Territory at Australia’s newest airport in Toowoomba, South-East Queensland, on Friday. The historic Airnorth flight preceded the start of direct services from Toowoomba to Melbourneon Monday and Toowoomba to Cairns services on Tuesday. Melbourne becomes the 25th destination for Airno...
The latest addition to the Royal Australian Air Force fleet prefers life in the slow lane. And instead of having radar-avoiding stealth qualities, this aircraft has been designed to turn heads. The RAAF on Friday unveiled a new helmet-shaped hot air balloon, complete with Air Force fighter pilot helmet, visor, oxygen mask and oxygen hose. It replaces the previous Air Force hot air...
Longreach Airport says the installation of solar panels will supply almost enough energy to cover its daytime power requirements and help cut greenhouse gas emissions. Taking advantage of the abundance of Central West Queensland sunlight and 30-plus degree temperatures, the airport says the 396 solar panels would lower its power bill between $30,000-$40,000 and “more than satisfies the cu...
Qatar Airways has confirmed a December launch for nonstop Doha-Auckland flights, with New Zealand’s most populous city one of 14 new destinations to join the airline’s fast growing network announced overnight. The route, at 7,848nm, will be the world’s longest nonstop passenger flight when the inaugural flight takes off on December 3 with Boeing 777-200LR equipment, eclipsing...
A global aviation safety initiative is holding a two-day workshop in Sydney later in March to discuss the best ways to collect and analyse aviation safety data. The Global Safety Information Project (GSIP), which is being led by Flight Safety Foundation, is holding 12 workshops around the world to develop toolkits for collecting and analysing safety data. The first workshop is being held in...
Deniliquin Council hopes to upgrade its local airport to establish a regional freight hub in the NSW Riverina and begin sending goods the world via Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba. The council is looking for government funding to support construction of a 2,000m runway at Deniliquin Airport, which currently has a 1,200m asphalt runway and a 1,500m dirt/grass runway. There are no reg...
