Jake Nelson

Two Virgin flights to Doha were diverted en route after Qatar temporarily closed its airspace due to an Iranian attack on a US military base in the country, while one Qantas flight to London was diverted to Singapore and another flight to Paris turned back to Perth.

May 2025 marks the second month in a row that average reliability figures across all participating airlines have cleared the long-term averages, analysis by Australian Aviation can reveal, as Virgin Australia once again achieves a reliability trifecta.

Sydney-based Renaissance Partners, which would establish Darwin and Canberra hubs for Rex as part of its ambition to build a restored TAA as “Australia’s third airline”, was knocked back a second time by administrator EY Australia earlier this month.

The inaugural flight HX17 landed at Sydney Airport from Hong Kong on Saturday aboard the A330-300 B-LHL, with the full-service carrier expanding seat capacity on the Sydney-Hong Kong route – Sydney’s third busiest international destination after Singapore and Auckland – by 20 per cent.

Israeli and Iranian airspace has been closed due to the escalating conflict between the two long-time adversaries, leaving around 4,200 Australians stranded. If repatriation flights go ahead, it would be at least the third time in three years that Australians have been evacuated from the region.

In a pre-budget submission, Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW), an alliance of 15 regional centres across the state, has called more broadly for a boost in infrastructure spending, but is seeking extra support for aviation.