Australian Aviation

The service, which will operate twice per week starting in December, is in addition to the existing China Eastern services into Auckland, which include a daily non-stop to Shanghai, as well as flights to Hangzhou both non-stop and via Sydney.

The plane, VH-VZG, was operating flight QF186 from Queenstown when the aerobridge hit it as it was positioning at the gate in Brisbane, smashing the front windscreens. Passengers were able to safely disembark using air stairs.

The unmanned teaming trials will be completed as part of RAAF events this year, known as Capability Demonstration 2025. CD25 is expected to allow the MQ-28 drones to demonstrate operational effectiveness and how collaborative combat aircraft will integrate and operate with RAAF crewed assets.

More than a dozen flights have been impacted by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the nearby island of Flores, which has spewed volcanic ash up to 10,000 metres above its summit.

On this week’s podcast, Adam and Jake discuss the ambitious plan for a resurrected TAA, what it might do for passengers, and whether it could avoid Australia’s ever-growing airline graveyard.

Flight JQ163 took off from Gold Coast Airport at 6:15am on Wednesday aboard the A320-200 VH-VQF, with services to operate three times per week on a mix of A320ceo and A320neo aircraft. It comes days after Jetstar launched services to Hamilton from Sydney.