Hannah Dowling

PM Morrison said the initial flight of just 26 people included Australian citizens, Afghan nationals with Australian visas, and one foreign official, despite the C-130J’s 128-person capacity.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced overnight that the whole country would be placed into ‘level four’ restrictions for three days, following one reported case of COVID-19.

Qantas has announced it will soon require all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including frontline and corporate staff.

According to data compiled by BITRE, its monthly airfare index hit 46.8 this month, falling 51.4 per cent since August 2020, and reaching its lowest figure on record.

Australia is now in the process of negotiating a landing spot at Kabul Airport in Afghanistan’s capital, to rescue the estimated 200 Australian citizens now trapped in the Taliban-controlled country.

The consortium of super funds eyeing the purchase of Sydney Airport have threatened to leave the negotiation table after the airport swiftly denied a revised bid on Monday.