Jake Nelson

A model aircraft store has told Australian Aviation it has seen a surge in demand since the stricken airline called in administrators last week, with a significant portion of sales from the carrier’s base on the Sunshine Coast. 

Inbound Australian travel to New Zealand is at 83 per cent of pre-pandemic, compared to the overall average of 80 per cent, according to figures cited by Auckland Airport; however, this is well below countries such as the US, UK and India, which are above pre-pandemic levels.

HRM Contracting and Consulting, the largest local recruitment and employment firm on the Sunshine Coast, will provide free assistance to Bonza employees looking to find temporary work, while the Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (FAAA) has set up an online fundraiser.

By law, if a flight in New Zealand is cancelled or delayed for reasons within the airline’s control, passengers may have a right to a remedy, including refund or compensation. According to a statement from Jetstar, its ability to provide these remedies was disrupted by pandemic issues.

Another 43 A380s and 28 777s will be fitted with the new cabins, including premium economy seats. Sydney’s EK412/413 and EK414/415 services, and Melbourne’s EK408/409 and EK406/407 services, will both use aircraft with the new premium economy cabins when the retrofit is complete.

In his 2024–25 budget overview released on Tuesday, Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said that the state government has a “huge amount of funding” tied up with the rail link project, and needs to be “realistic about the project and its timeline”.