Kirsty Ferguson, who heads Pinstripe Solutions, believes that the impact of furloughs and layoffs during COVID lockdowns shook the confidence of pilots and crew who believed they had solid jobs, leading many to leave the sector or seek greener pastures overseas.

The authority has come under fire over the incident, which killed 12-year-old Amber Jess Millar and the helicopter’s pilot, 40-year-old Troy Thomas, after The Australian obtained documents under FOI suggesting CASA had known of previous reckless conduct by Thomas’s company, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, in 2018.

Under the scheme, Gold or higher status members of “other Australian airline loyalty programs” can apply for a fast-tracked “Discover Gold” trial Velocity membership, giving them three months of access to perks including lounges, priority boarding, preferential seating and extra baggage.

According to Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka, international airfares are currently 50 per cent higher than they were pre-pandemic, and increasing aviation capacity between Australia and other key regions will help bring down cost of living pressures.