Jake Nelson

The airport has installed four new layover bays to support Code F aircraft like the A380, as well as upgrading two existing bays for Code E aircraft such as the 777, A340, or A350, with a flexible configuration to support up to six Code E or four Code E and two Code F aircraft.

In its final report, the safety watchdog found that the crash of the Rockwell 695A Jetprop Commander light aircraft, registered VH-HPY, on 4 November 2023 was likely due to pilot hypoxia from a faulty pressurisation system of which operator AGAIR had been aware for some time.

Flight VA15 departed shortly before 3:30pm on the wet-leased Qatar Airways 777-300ER A7-BEE, a week after the launch of the first of Virgin’s restored long-haul services from Sydney on 12 June.

The service, which will operate twice per week starting in December, is in addition to the existing China Eastern services into Auckland, which include a daily non-stop to Shanghai, as well as flights to Hangzhou both non-stop and via Sydney.

The plane, VH-VZG, was operating flight QF186 from Queenstown when the aerobridge hit it as it was positioning at the gate in Brisbane, smashing the front windscreens. Passengers were able to safely disembark using air stairs.

More than a dozen flights have been impacted by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the nearby island of Flores, which has spewed volcanic ash up to 10,000 metres above its summit.