The two gates, opening this week, are the latest stage in the airport’s overhaul, which also included a $130 million runway overhaul that completed last year, allowing it to handle larger aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.

The “Star-Bound” drone show has been cancelled for Tuesday and Wednesday after 89 drones reportedly dropped into the water and onto marina wharves around Cockle Bay. Drone shows returned to the festival this year after being cancelled in 2025 due to overcrowding concerns.

VH-8VI “Lake Centenary”, which is painted red in a callback to the Virgin Blue days, operated flight VA308 from Brisbane to Melbourne on Monday morning, touching down at 9am. The aircraft arrived in Australia last week after leaving the Boeing factory in Seattle in March.

The ultra-long-range aircraft, the first of which has recently had its engines fitted while the second is on the final assembly line as of February, were slated to begin arriving from later this year but are now expected in early 2027.