Jake Nelson

The men, at least two of whom appear to have worked for Qantas subsidiary Jets Transport Express, attempted to bring 100kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of $40 million into the country on a cargo flight from Johannesburg.

While no Qantas services have been affected, six Jetstar flights on Friday morning were cancelled and two morning Virgin Australia services – to Brisbane and Melbourne – were pushed back to the afternoon due to potential impact from the ash cloud.

Heathrow, the largest of London’s six commercial airports, will remain closed until at least 11:59pm local time on Friday, causing havoc in the surrounding airspace. At least two Qantas flights in the air have been forced to divert, while others set to depart Heathrow today will also be affected.

The firm, which already holds contracts to support public services including aeromedical and law enforcement, is looking to work with the Australian and NZ Defence Forces on “advanced tri-service aviation and aerospace solutions that will enhance operational effectiveness and readiness”.

Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), which will take over slot management at Australia’s largest airport on 1 April, was awarded a three-year contract last month to replace outgoing manager Airport Coordination Australia (ACA).

The agreement, to last from March to July 2025, will see Virgin use a blend of A1 jet fuel and 30-40 per cent synthetic SAF made from waste and residue feedstocks, which the airline says is fully compatible with existing aircraft, fuelling infrastructure, and regulatory and safety requirements.