Citing high fuel prices due to the Iran conflict, the carrier will temporarily drop its routes to Port Macquarie and Orange from 25 October, leaving their respective Sydney connections served only by QantasLink. According to Rex, it is still “committed to serving regional and remote Australia”.
ZK-TXH “Florence” joins ZK-TXA “Karen”, Texel’s second Boeing 737-800BCF in New Zealand, which arrived in August as part of a NZ$95 million ($76 million) investment. It previously operated for Virgin Australia as VH-VUO and had been with the group since the Virgin Blue era.
A group of 120 Qantas engineers opted to enact a two-hour total work ban and protest on Monday, 12 October, amid ongoing disagreements on pay and work conditions.
An Omani pilot who allegedly attempted to commit a “September 11 style” hijacking attack in the Middle East was “influenced by extremism and terrorism while studying in Australia”, according to new information.
The federal government has been inspired by regulatory practices in the aviation and banking sectors for new laws that would require AI developers to prove safety.
According to the Australian Services Union, the Virgin staff it represents will lodge their vote this week, as they continue to battle over new pay and working conditions with the airline.