The pilot in his early 70s and his female passenger in her 60s departed George Town Airport in Tasmania at around 12:45pm bound for Hillston in central western NSW via Leongatha, with the alarm raised at around 5pm that evening after they failed to arrive.

The flights, operating three times per week on A320neo aircraft, commenced on Friday evening and will add more than 58,000 seats on the route per year. It comes as the carrier stations two A320neos on the Gold Coast, bringing the local fleet to six of the aircraft type.

Central to the operation is a small, highly specialised team made up of Australia’s 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit and the US 552nd Air Control Wing, working together in real time to coordinate air operations across the battlespace.

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a regulatory amendment to allow pets in cabins while food and drink are being served.