Jake Nelson

Flight AB1079 arrived at Alice Springs Airport at 4:23pm local time aboard Bonza’s 737 MAX 8, VH-UJT ‘Shazza’. It is the second Bonza route to launch into the Northern Territory following Sunshine Coast–Darwin last month, with the planned Gold Coast–Darwin launch delayed to 2 January.

The carrier will fly three return services per week starting on 25 March, adding to its existing services from Alice Springs to Darwin, Katherine and Tennant Creek. This is the first time any airline has connected Alice Springs non-stop to Perth since the end of a Qantas route in 2022.

The carrier, which already offers Immarsat Wi-Fi on international services, will test out the technology on a domestic A320-family jet and an ATR in late 2024, with a broader launch in 2025 pending a successful trial run of four to six months.

The 70,000m2 structure, built on the site of the international terminal’s old main carpark, includes new pick-up/drop-off areas, undercover parking, public transport links, and new road layouts, and is designed for 650 vehicles per hour at peak times.

The last scheduled flight, Virgin Australia flight VA1298 to Melbourne, is scheduled for 7:45pm on Tuesday, after which the airport will shut down ahead of Jasper’s anticipated landfall on Wednesday. CEO Richard Baker has warned that the airport will not be available until at least Thursday.

Hayden McDonald, 22, touched down in Esperance at 3pm on Monday, ending what is believed to be the first unaccompanied flight of its kind by an autistic pilot. He has logged more than 80 hours of flight time in his Jabiru J120 since the start of his journey on September 8.