Hannah Dowling

Sydney Airport is finally nearing a $23.6b sale to a consortium of super funds, which, when complete, would mark one of the largest corporate takeovers in Australian history.

The ACCC has argued the agreement would “likely lead to reduced competition” following the reintroduction of travel between Australia and Japan, and make it difficult for other airlines to operate between the two countries.

The Australian Airports Association argued that airlines need to prepare schedules well in advance, and currently have insufficient information from the government to allow for regular international flights to begin this year.

The group called the decision to name Hamad the “World’s Best” airport “ridiculous” following the non-consensual intimate examination of Australian women by airport staff last year.

It has again been suggested that Australia’s airports are unprepared for the restart of international travel, as Singapore Airlines criticised the lack of vaccine requirements by some airports around the country.

Just days after it announced its international travel ban would be extended to mid-December, the government has revealed a new plan to drop the ban as early as November, following the introduction of a fit-for-purpose vaccine passport.