Jake Nelson

Canada and Malaysia will have unlimited passenger capacity to and from Australia starting in 2026, with an immediate increase to 50,000 weekly seats to Malaysia and 50 weekly flights to Canada.

The renewed focus on Qatar Airways comes as politicians from both parties face questions about free Qantas flight upgrades and other benefits.

The Flying Kangaroo is suing Luke Fogarty, its former head of E190 commercial, operations and performance, who left the airline for a senior flight operations role with Virgin in September and is due to start next year following the expiration of a non-compete agreement.

VH-A5A, slated for delivery by the end of the year, was snapped in testing by a planespotter in Europe this week under the test registration F-WWTR. Jetstar currently has 13 A320neos on order up to the 2029 financial year.

In a text message exchange with Sydney radio station 2GB, as reported by The Australian, the Prime Minister’s office said he had never asked then-Qantas CEO Alan Joyce or anyone else at the airline for a free upgrade, following revelations he had accepted a number of upgrades since 2009.

Reporting in the Newcastle Herald this week claimed that cost overruns on the new international terminal, as well as a drop in passenger volumes and unbudgeted costs for the Astra Aerolab defence and aerospace precinct, have left the airport short of cash.