Jake Nelson

Operator Airport Development Group has increased the General Landing Charge at Darwin from $36.39 per tonne up to $77.71 per tonne as of 1 July, with the Regional Aviation Association of Australia saying it is “very concerned over the size of the proposed increases”.

Flight VA1528 from Sydney landed safely in Hobart aboard VH-YFY after the fire broke out in an overhead locker on descent, with the cause believed to be a portable power bank in a passenger’s bag. The airline says it is reviewing the carriage and use of power banks on board.

The Flying Kangaroo bounded past its main domestic rival in June according to the latest BITRE data, with 81.2 per cent of QF-designated services (Qantas and QantasLink) departing on time and 80.4 per cent arriving on time, compared to 78.7 per cent and 78.0 per cent of VA services respectively.

Bennet is appearing at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin, which runs from 21 to 27 July this year and regularly attracts more than 600,000 people and 10,000 aircraft. He will perform in Paul Bennet Airshows’ signature Wolf Pitts Pro.

The Gulf carrier’s freight arm, which last year moved more than 75,000 tonnes of cargo in and out of Australia, is “most definitely” looking at operating out of WSI after the new airport opens next year, said Australian cargo manager Greg Johnson at a media event in Sydney on Thursday.

The airline will fly three times per week from Perth to Manila starting 27 November, and from Brisbane to Cebu starting 3 December, using its A321neo LR fleet. Between them, the new routes will add more than 108,000 seats per year between Australia and the Philippines.