Jake Nelson

Replacing the ageing base first opened in 1988, the new hub – which will include clinical facilities, space for fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, ground vehicle transport, and room for surge workers – is backed by $15 million from the Commonwealth and $6 million from the Tasmanian government.

VH-VKK, which returned to Melbourne earlier this week, took off for Phuket at 3:20pm on Tuesday afternoon for its inaugural commercial flight post-overhaul. All 11 Jetstar Dreamliners are slated for the refit, which includes new seating, in-flight Wi-Fi, and crew rest areas with six bunks.

Working in a temporary space, the staff members are the first of a planned 400 employees at Qantas’ first innovation centre outside of Sydney, and will “focus on developing and improving the airline’s digital products, including the Qantas App”, as well as front-line tools for Qantas workers.

Speaking to Australian Aviation at a press event in Kuala Lumpur, Bryan Foong, CEO of airline business at Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), said the carrier – which currently has 10 A330-900s in its fleet – is aiming to operate 20 of the next-generation aircraft by 2028.

Flights VA1 through VA22, including services from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, are cancelled up to and including 15 June as Qatar Airways continues to operate a limited schedule amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Flagged in 2024’s Aviation White Paper, the package of bills introduces what Transport Minister Catherine King calls “a series of reforms to deliver a better deal for aviation consumers”, including an aviation ombudsperson and an Aviation Consumer Protection Authority.