Jake Nelson

Milne has worked with Qantas on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and is currently, as chief of Skytrans, aiming to operate Australia’s first zero-emissions hydrogen-powered commercial flight by 2026 in partnership with Stralis.

The NSW-based regional airline will operate three flights per week starting 29 August for an initial period of six months with a service every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

Major airframe components including centre and rear fuselage are now under construction at the Airbus factory in Mirabel, Canada. Qantas has ordered 29 A220 aircraft to replace QantasLink’s ageing Boeing 717 fleet.

The AAD is looking to bring together its specialised aerial operations under one operator, and is seeking expanded capabilities including a large intercontinental aircraft, four intracontinental turboprops with skis, four twin-engine helicopters that can operate on land and ship, and a “significant scaling up” of Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) capability.

After the airline put out a call on Facebook to find its owner, a young boy named Harry has been given back the teddy bear he accidentally left behind on a Virgin flight to Perth on Monday.

The industrial action, which began last Tuesday, has upended travel plans, as Air Tahiti Nui flights to Auckland – which would connect to Australian destinations such as Sydney, Brisbane and Perth – have been cancelled at the very last minute.