Jake Nelson

The airline, which held $93 million in unused credits as of February, will allow passengers to use them for travel bookings up to 27 May 2027, though the booking deadline remains at 30 June this year. The credits were issued between 2020 and 2022 for flights impacted by the pandemic.

In its Australian Aviation Network Overview report for May 2026, Airservices Australia said that while aviation had shown “ongoing resilience and flexibility” during the Iran conflict, the war had caused “real pressure on the sector” as it stretched past 100 days.

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson revealed the news at Airbus’ factory in Toulouse, alongside the livery of the Flying Kangaroo’s first A350-1000ULR, VH-OJA, which will be dubbed “Vega”. Sydney-London will be followed by Sydney-New York, with London services to go on sale in February.

Pilots will receive a 3 per cent wage increase per year for the next four years after nearly 56.5 per cent of those who voted supported the deal, which also includes rostering improvements and new part-time arrangements. It will cover around 1,250 pilots at the airline.

As part of Round 5 of the Regional Airports Program, airports can apply for funding for essential works between $20,000 and $5 million, with eligible works able to receive up to 50 per cent of the costs as a grant.

The plan will set the course for the next two decades of development at Queensland’s largest international gateway, with demand tipped to increase dramatically, especially in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.