An initial cohort of six Airservices Australia trainees will be sent to Christchurch following 10 weeks of online training with Airways’ AKO virtual academy. This represents the beginning of a new contract between the two ATC organisations, with further cohorts expected to be sent in future.

A new deal will see the ACT-based Nominal Systems make a “digital twin” of the 3.5-metre-long demonstrator vehicle alongside replicating conditions outside of the aircraft.

The airport believes a delay to its original 2029 launch opens the opportunity to “future-proof” the project with a below-level link, while the state government is thought to prefer a cheaper station above ground.

In a speech before the Australian Airports Association (AAA) national conference this week, Culbert called out what he described as a “pattern of over-filing for slots and high cancellations” by Qantas and Virgin, which he said has returned over the past two years of COVID recovery.