Jake Nelson

In its final report into the accident, which killed both pilots of the Robinson R22 helicopters VH-HQH and VH-HYQ at Mount Anderson Station in the Kimberley on 25 July 2024, the ATSB found that operator Pearl Coast Helicopters had not set appropriate separation standards.

A roundtable held at the airport in November endorsed the idea that the Queensland government should move regional services from Brisbane to Toowoomba, as reported by The Chronicle. It comes as the state prepares for a review of subsidised regional routes.

Speaking to ABC Radio in Sydney, the minister said that while a scheme similar to EU 261 – which forces airlines to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations within their control – works in a populous region like Europe, the Australian market is too small to sustain one.

The Flying Kangaroo will operate two 737 services per week from Sydney to Port Moresby starting in March, adding around 35,000 seats per year and complementing existing Brisbane-Port Moresby flights. It comes ahead of the entry of the Papua New Guinea Chiefs to the NRL in 2028.

The regional carrier, which has been operating wet-lease services to the island for several months, is now flying the route in its own right with ex-Qantas Dash-8 aircraft. The first SmartLynx QN11/12 services to and from Lord Howe Island commenced on Monday on the Dash 8-200 VH-TQX.

Slot demand for next year’s northern summer season, or the six months from 29 March 2026, has increased by 8 per cent over historical slots for the same period, according to slot manager Airport Coordination Limited (ACL).