Jake Nelson

The low-cost carrier has increased its JQ47/48 Seoul services from four to seven times per week out of Sydney as of Tuesday, bringing its total seats between Australia and South Korea to 340,000 per year when coupled with the existing three-times-per-week Brisbane–Seoul flights.

In a vision document seen by Australian Aviation, the Renaissance Partners consortium proposes a “third national carrier” with a northern hub in Darwin and a southern hub in Canberra.

The union, whose approximately 850 Virgin Australia members make up the majority of the airline’s pilot workforce, said it supports Virgin’s plan to expand its fleet and route network and will work with management to prepare for next week’s ASX relisting, slated for 24 June.

The JQ165 service, on board the A320 VH-XSJ, is the first international flight to Hamilton Airport in 13 years. It touched down shortly after 11am on Monday and will operate four times per week, adding almost 75,000 seats per year.

Starting 1 July, Jetstar will introduce extra flights connecting the Victorian and Tasmanian capitals. While full details are still to be released, the low-cost carrier said it will bring around 50,000 additional seats to the route over the following six months.

The cause of the AI171 accident, which killed 241 people on board and more than 50 on the ground when the 787-8 crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on Thursday, remains unknown, though one of the black boxes has been recovered.