Jake Nelson

The non-stop flights, operated with 256-seat 787-8 Dreamliners, will begin on 31 March, adding 186,368 seats and 14,000 tonnes of cargo capacity per year between WA and Thailand. The flights will operate as TG483/484 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and TG481/482 on all other days.

Singapore-based John Simeone, who has been Qantas’ senior vice-president for Asia since April last year, will head Jetstar Asia from 1 March. He has worked for Qantas since 1997, with roles in areas such as international sales, business and government sales, and network scheduling.

Launching on 28 April, the route will initially operate three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using 253-seater A340-300 aircraft, adding 78,936 seats between Australia and South Africa. Perth Airport hopes SAA will eventually expand to a daily service.

Ken Kanofski, who ran NSW RMS from 2016 to 2019, will join the board of Sydney’s second airport alongside two other non-executive directors: seasoned director and adviser Donna-Maree Vinci, and Tim Eddy, who first joined the WSA board in 2017.

The Cessna R182 Skylane RG VH-EHM, operated by Executive Helicopters, was carrying two passengers and a pet dog from a property near Roma to Brisbane’s Archerfield Airport when it crashed in the D’Aguilar Range in August 2022, killing all on board.

Ray Merrill, 101, donated a signed letter from General Dwight Eisenhower – later the 34th US president – as well as framed photos and a biography to the base, which have been placed on display in the officers’ mess.