Jake Nelson

The three-bay hangar will allow Alliance to bring maintenance back onshore for its fleet of over 70 aircraft, replacing contracts in Slovakia and the UK and creating roughly 100 skilled jobs as well as 16 new traineeships and apprenticeships.

China Eastern flight MU715 from Shanghai on Wednesday morning, aboard the A330-200 B-5931, was the first service from mainland China to touch down at Brisbane in 1,359 days, marking the beginning of a three-times-per-week non-stop service that will increase to daily from 8 December.

Sichuan Airlines flight 3U3883 from Chengdu touched down in Sydney on Monday on board an A330-300. With its return, nine airlines including Qantas will offer direct services between Sydney and mainland China, and it is estimated Sydney Airport’s China capacity will be 86 per cent recovered in November.

The overhaul will include new computed tomography (CT) security screening systems in line with federal standards, a mezzanine level for more direct access to security screening, a state-of-the-art baggage system with an entirely new baggage hall, and upgrades to self check-in systems.

The service, which complements Air India’s existing daily Melbourne–Delhi route, will initially operate three times per week using 787-8 Dreamliners starting 15 December with the potential to add capacity based on demand.

The first JQ9 service took off from Brisbane on Tuesday aboard the 787-8 Dreamliner VH-VKG, returning as JQ10. Jetstar will initially operate five return services per week, ramping up to a daily service from December. It is the first of three new Asian routes from Brisbane to be announced over the coming months.