Australian Aviation Podcast Network

In one of the most dramatic tech outages in history, a botched update by cyber security company CrowdStrike last Friday crippled computers around the world – and Australia’s aviation sector did not escape unscathed.

Airlines were left unable to check in customers and their baggage, airports were swamped with passengers on delayed and cancelled flights, and planes were grounded across the country, with Jetstar in particular not back to normal until early Saturday morning.

Adam and Jake look at what went wrong and whether aviation has put too many of its eggs into one cyber security basket.

Plus, as major east coast gateways still lag behind pre-pandemic passenger levels, what’s still holding Australia’s domestic aviation recovery back?

With the ashes yet cooling on Bonza’s funeral pyre, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson made an eyebrow-raising suggestion at the Flying Kangaroo’s Perth–Paris launch last week: that Australia can’t sustain more than, say, three major domestic airline groups (coincidentally, the number it has now).

As the country reacquaints itself with the old familiar Qantas–Virgin equilibrium – and as Rex continues its push to disrupt the duopoly – will Hudson be vindicated, or will another challenger eventually prove her wrong?

Adam and Jake examine the state of play and whether Bonza is truly just another data point against airline competition in Australia.

Plus, Rex’s new leadership faces a boardroom coup from the old boss, Melbourne Airport waves the white flag on the long-overdue rail link, and Emirates thumbs its nose at “too clever by half” safety videos.

Australian Aviation is gearing up to host our third annual awards next month in association with UNSW and its School of Aviation.

The university recently hosted a panel examining sustainability in the sector, featuring some of the most influential figures in the industry.

The panel included Rex’s Ron Bartsch, Qantas’ Harry Jobberns and Jet Zero’s Ed Mason.

In this episode, we let you listen in to the debate.

In the end, it was all but inevitable – after losing its planes, cancelling its flights, sacking its staff and failing to find a buyer, Bonza is no more, with creditors making the decision to wind up the airline and put an end to what were once lofty dreams of bringing low-cost airfares to destinations that had never seen them before.

As its purple tails join those of Ansett, Tigerair, Compass and hundreds of others on the Australian aviation ash heap, what will become of Bonza’s former routes? Should we expect to see more rivals like Jetstar step in to pick up where it left off?

Adam and Jake discuss the fallout from, and reasons for, Bonza’s demise.

Plus, who will be the next CEO of Virgin Australia? Could a controversial codeshare partner step in to take a stake in our second biggest airline group?

As Bonza’s administrator looks set to finally close the curtain on the stricken airline, a new YouGov survey has revealed 50 per cent of Australians believe the government should step in and back low-cost airlines in the name of affordability and consumer choice.

With more than 300 airlines reportedly having gone under in Australia over the last century, is it time for Canberra to intervene and get more tails in the skies?

Adam, Jake and Ben look at the case for more government support and how it might manifest.

Plus, as on-time performance and cancellations continue to improve, who came out on top in the May domestic reliability stakes?

Despite Virgin attracting some major allies in its fight for more capacity to Bali, ultimately Jetstar looks to have prevailed, with the IASC awarding Qantas Group the coveted seats.

So what tipped the scales in Jetstar’s favour – and why did Virgin fall short?

Adam and Jake look at the decision and what it means for Bali-bound travellers.

Plus, what caused a terrifying ride for Virgin passengers out of Queenstown this week?

It wasn’t the news more than 300 Bonza employees wanted to hear – but after a buyer for the grounded carrier failed to materialise, administrator Hall Chadwick has sacked all staff and cancelled every future flight.

With Bonza now seeming to be running on borrowed time, is there now any hope for a miracle rescue or a silver lining for hundreds of dedicated staff members now out of a job?

Adam and Jake examine the bad news and ask what’s next for Bonza, its erstwhile staff – and its administrator.

Plus, Rex embarks on a major leadership shake-up, putting a local CEO in charge for the first time – so who is the Aussie set to lead Australia’s third largest airline group?

It was meant to be the crowning achievement of the budding British airship industry: R101, a majestic “ocean liner of the skies” that would ferry passengers all across the world in style and comfort.

Yet on its maiden international flight in October 1930, the dreams of an empire went up in flames as R101 crashed and exploded in a field in the north of France. On board was one Australian VIP: William Palstra, a key figure in the early days of the RAAF.

The tragic demise of R101 with all but six hands led to the UK pulling out of the airship arena – and left an indelible mark on Palstra’s family for generations afterwards.

On this episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Cecilia Thornton, author of Airship of Dreams: The Man Who Rode the Titanic of the Skies, talks to Jake Nelson about the disaster that claimed her grandfather’s life and spelled the end of the British airship age.

Will Bonza fly again? That’s the question that has been on the mind of the aviation sector ever since the low-cost carrier went into voluntary administration at the end of April, with its planes seized and its employees stood down without notice. Administrator Hall Chadwick certainly believes it can get Bonza back in the skies, winning another two months to find a buyer for the airline with the argument that doing so would be better for creditors than winding it up – though that’s cold comfort for employees who will now be left without pay until at least the end of July. On location at the 2024 Australian Space Summit, Adam and Jake examine the facts as they stand and discuss whether the administrators’ optimism is well-placed. Plus, Rex heads for the Golden West – and takes NJE’s E190s along for the ride. Could Australia see more E-Jets fly between capital cities?

For 19 months, Qantas reigned as Australia’s most reliable airline group – but no more, with Virgin Australia last month knocking the Flying Kangaroo off its perch in a clean sweep of on-time arrivals, on-time departures and cancellations. With both major domestic airline groups now at or approaching long-term averages for reliability, will the trend hold, or could the “bad old days” of 2022 make a comeback? Adam, Jake and Ben crunch the numbers and cross their fingers that the era of domestic airline havoc is finally behind us. Plus, frustration abounds for Bonza staff still stuck in a holding pattern as administrators fight to save the airline – will stood-down employees get what they’re owed?