Hannah Dowling

First responders said the pilot was lucky to be alive after his single-engine light plane, VH-CWK, crashed into trees, and nosedived to the ground, about 1km north of the airport just after midday.

An international flight attendant that tested positive to COVID-19 in Brisbane over the weekend is said to have contracted the virus from another flight attendant while both completed their mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Alliance Airlines has said it hopes to triple its annual flight hours after taking delivery of all 30 Embraer E190 aircraft, ordered at a discount last year, as it bolsters its position in the wet-lease market.

It comes as the airline anticipates to report a loss for the 2020-21 financial year of up to NS$450 million, in light of the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the global travel market.

New South Wales has reported two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, linked to a 60-year old driver who regularly transports international aircrew, as well as a household contact of this case.

Morrison said he is “committed” to seeing Singapore as the next addition to Australia’s restriction-free travel list “as soon as possible”, following the success of its arrangement with New Zealand.