Jake Nelson

In a statement, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots said Simone McGurk, WA Minister for Industrial Relations, had met with a union representative to request the work stoppage not go ahead over the weekend due to the risk posed by ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln in the state’s northwest.

The carrier says Auckland Airport’s multi-billion-dollar redevelopment, to take place over 10 years and be funded in part by increases to aeronautical charges, will lead to “unaffordable airfares for some Kiwis”. It has lodged an official request with NZ Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly for an inquiry.

Under the proposed system announced on Wednesday, Sydney would be allowed 85 flight movements per hour instead of 80 for a maximum of two hours on days where major disruptions occur, which would result in fewer cancellations and overnight delays.

Labor says its reforms will increase transparency around slot allocation, hold airlines accountable for “misuse” of slots and introduce a “recovery period” after major delays.

The Transport Workers’ Union has urged Virgin owner Bain Capital to keep its promises to ground staff, cabin crew and pilots under whichever CEO replaces Hrdlicka, while the Australian Services Union said the passing of the torch allows for a “reset” with customer service staff.

The shock announcement comes as the carrier, currently owned by US investment firm Bain Capital, prepares to re-list on the stock market for the first time since it went into administration during the pandemic. The board will now begin a global search for her replacement.