Jake Nelson

Flight VA218 to Melbourne on 23 June will be the first Adelaide service to allow pets in the cabin, with tickets available to book for travel until 31 January 2027. Melbourne and the Gold Coast will initially be the only two destinations for pet-friendly flights.

According to IATA’s latest outlook, the sector is expected to see a combined total net profit of US$23.0 billion ($32.7 billion) this year, down from a projected US$41 billion, and around half of the US$45 billion it recorded in 2025.

The terminal, which opened in late 2025, was judged on “energy efficiency, operational performance, environmental impact reduction and sustainable building practices”, with GBCA chief executive Davina Rooney calling the rating a “significant milestone”.

“Industry sources” cited by Reuters claimed that the Flying Kangaroo is in talks with Airbus and Boeing for more A350s or 787 Dreamliners, in addition to the 24 A350-1000s and 12 787s it currently has on order, though both Airbus and Boeing declined to comment.

The Wedgetail, deployed to the region in March, has conducted more than 40 missions providing long-range surveillance to help protect Gulf states against Iranian drone and missile attacks.

The activity saw the two aircraft fly from air bases in Japan, sharing information through the tactical battlefield network as they would on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.