Australian Aviation’s top 5 reads for 2025

4. New carrier to revolutionise Australia’s skies – from the ground

Our April Fool’s story this year concerned Australia’s first “groundline”. Wombat Groundways, the brainchild of maverick businessman Mark Supial, supposedly announced it would launch services using leased jets on the “Golden Triangle” from 2026 – and drive its aircraft entirely on the ground using existing roadway infrastructure. Needless to say, this will not actually happen this year.

3. First jet to land at Western Sydney Airport this month

Western Sydney International Airport announced the NSW Rural Fire Service’s (RFS) 737 Large Air Tanker, N138CG “Marie Bashir”, would take part in a multi-agency, full-scale aerodrome emergency exercise on 28 and 29 October, including a simulated aircraft incident, as WSI prepared to open in late 2026. Australian Aviation was there when it touched down on the 28th – and captured footage of the landing.

2. Qantas defends planned change to cabin door procedures

Qantas in October proposed changes to procedures for opening and closing aircraft doors will improve safety despite union pushback. The Flying Kangaroo said it was looking to have a single workgroup take responsibility for both moving stairs and opening and closing doors, which it said will lower risk and improve control. It came after a Jetstar plane earlier that month was seen taxiing for take-off with its cargo doors open.

1. Koala Airlines faces winding-up application

In our most-read story of the year, Wealth Creation lodged a winding-up application against Koala Airlines, which had gained some press in 2024 as a potential new competitor in domestic aviation following the collapse of Bonza. Koala would later fend off the application, and its CEO Bill Astling spoke exclusively to Australian Aviation in August about its plans for a 2026 launch.