Jake Nelson

Speaking at the inaugural 2024 Australian Aviation Summit, Sharp said the sector is ‘at a really critical time for the future of aviation’.

The NZ flag carrier posted a NZ$222 million (AU$204 million) profit in FY24, down from NZ$574 million (AU$530 million) in FY23, which it attributed to previously-forecast headwinds in the second half of the year.

The Leonardo AW139 helicopters are set to replace two existing B412 aircraft, and will operate from Babcock’s Horn Island base by the end of the year.

The year-long program will see transportable drone docks used around the state for law enforcement tasks including emergency response, surveillance, and search and rescue.

The Flying Kangaroo has also come to an agreement with the Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (FAAA) for new conditions and pay increases on the new Project Sunrise A350-1000s. Around 800 short-haul cabin crew will see pay rises, as well as 2,500 international crew.

The Flying Kangaroo has ordered 28 of the new aircraft to gradually replace its 737-800s, with the first expected to arrive in April 2025. In preparation, pilots have commenced training on a new CAE 7000XR Series A320 simulator, which arrived from Canada earlier this year.