The awards program, supported by principal partner UNSW Sydney, will culminate in a black-tie gala ceremony and dinner on Thursday, 29 August 2024 at The Star, Sydney.

The Chinese low-cost carrier, a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, will begin three weekly A330-200 flights to Hangzhou starting in June, complementing its existing Qingdao service. The new route will make Hangzhou the eighth mainland Chinese destination to see services from Melbourne.

The deal is the latest milestone in the delivery of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of MQ-4C Triton aircraft, with the partners to support the operation and maintenance of command-and-control systems aboard the multi-intelligence uncrewed aircraft fleet.

The carrier will use Wellington Airport as its home base for the ALIA, which it expects to receive starting late next year. It will initially fly cargo services with NZ Post from Wellington to Marlborough Airport on the other side of the Cook Strait.

The fuel, produced at Neste’s Singapore refinery, will be supplied to Air New Zealand at LAX by 30 November after being blended with conventional jet fuel to meet required specifications. The deal is nine times larger than Air New Zealand’s first SAF shipment from Neste in 2022.

Dubbed “Wilbur Air”, the “e-airline” will have priority access to the Skyportz vertiport network, with a “range of aircraft partners” to provide services including short- and long-range passenger transport and heavy-lift drone deliveries.