New BITRE data released by the Department of Transport presents fresh evidence that major airlines are taking advantage of the rules around take-off slots to punish smaller rivals.

The AIPA is arguing that Qantas second officers who are passed over for the A380 in favour of pilots from outside the company should be compensated, while Qantas says the pilots’ union has “unreasonably” withheld its agreement to sourcing external A380 pilots.

Geoff Culbert has pointed the finger squarely at airlines for Sydney’s lagging domestic recovery, which saw passenger numbers last month grow just 1.2 per cent year-on-year to 1.90 million travellers.

Repainting is the final step of the P-8A and E-7A’s deeper maintenance services performed by Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) around every 72 months and involves stripping the aircraft back to bare metal, inspecting and repairing for corrosion, defects and dents, and painting and applying decals.