After five tumultuous years as head of Air New Zealand, CEO Greg Foran is preparing to hang up his wings this October.

Between COVID-19 border closures, fleet delays, maintenance issues and other problems, it’s fair to say the Kiwi flag carrier has had a rough half-decade – but how well has it weathered the storm?

On location in Auckland, Australian Aviation’s Jake Nelson talks to Foran about his tenure, what he might have done differently, and what might be next for the airline.

Plus, Adam and Jake discuss the rest of the week’s news, including Qantas’ ongoing attempts to draw a line under the Joyce era.

Jake Nelson travelled as a guest of Air New Zealand.

She’s back – after Labor secured a thumping majority in this month’s federal election, Catherine King has been reappointed to her portfolio as minister for transport and infrastructure.

In her first term, the minister released an Aviation White Paper, pushed ahead with reforms to Sydney slots, backed the new Western Sydney Airport, ended the war over Melbourne’s airport rail link, and pledged to save Rex from going under – so what can we expect this time around?

Adam and Jake look at what the government – and the minister – might prioritise for aviation over the next three years and potentially beyond.

Plus, Australia’s busiest day for air travel in five years – and we promise we’ll stop talking about America eventually, but seriously, what’s the go with America?

As tariffs and border crackdowns continue stateside, the number of Australians taking trips to the US has slumped, with travel to Asia surging instead – a trend noticed by Flight Centre, which is taking a hit to its bottom line.

It’s not just passengers that are causing a headache for aviation amid the US uncertainty, however: if the trade war causes a Chinese slowdown, the resulting drop in demand for resources could have a knock-on impact on the FIFO sector, with NJE’s Lim Kim Hai already looking to cut spending.

Adam and Jake discuss what the Trump administration’s policies abroad could do – and have already done – to aviation in Australia.

Plus, is there a culture problem at general aviation businesses?

It’s one of the biggest political bunfights in Australia’s aviation sector – should the government force airlines to compensate passengers for delays within their control, above and beyond the usual refunds or flight credits?

If you listen to the airlines, the answer is a resounding no, with representatives at the Senate committee hearings on proposed legislation warning it could drive up costs and lead to more delays and cancellations.

But according to customer advocate Adam Glezer of Consumer Champion, that’s not the case – and, in fact, there are some hidden upsides in the idea for industry as well as consumers.

On this week’s Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake Nelson speaks with Glezer about his work and why he supports more robust passenger protections.

As if Boeing needed more bad news, the US-China trade war has delivered another body blow to the planemaker with Beijing ordering a halt on new Boeing plane deliveries to Chinese airlines.

As China’s aviation industry is upended by the news, what does it mean for one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world – not to mention Boeing’s competitors, and other countries looking to get their hands on scarce planes?

Adam and Jake examine the fallout and how the tit-for-tat tariffs could squeeze more industries than just aviation.

Plus, Australia hits new heights for international travel, and a dark-horse candidate takes home the coveted Huey.

 

Almost a year after the swift and sudden demise of Bonza, some relief for its directors came this month with ASIC confirming it would take no further action against them.

Absent any further evidence, the decision effectively draws a line under the collapse of a carrier that started with dreams of uniting “Allstralia” and ended in a storm of tears, recriminations and misfortune – but did it ever have a shot to begin with?

Adam and Jake look back at the Bonza saga and what could have been.

Plus, surprising news from Western Sydney as Qantas clarifies just which of its airlines will be operating from the new airport at launch – and it’s not the ones we expected.

Another April Fool’s Day is behind us, and unfortunately for everyone excited about driving in a 737 from Sydney to Melbourne, it turns out “Wombat Groundways” isn’t actually real – sorry.

Between Virgin Australia allowing you to check your “emotional baggage” and Mad Mex’s move into in-flight catering, aviation April Fool’s fans ate well this month – but it turns out one supposed prank may have been the real deal after all.

Adam and Jake discuss a surprise move by Emirates that the airline insists is no joke.

Plus, vale Val Kilmer – in the wake of Iceman’s passing, how well does Top Gun hold up?

It’s the biggest event in Australian aviation: the biennial Avalon Airshow, which this year ran over six days at the end of March.

Featuring static and aerial displays, as well as trade exhibitors and networking events, the 2025 show attracted more than 200,000 people in total across the six days, including 60,000 industry visitors.

Around 350 aircraft were on show, either in the air and on the ground, with 902 participating exhibitor organisations from 28 countries contributing to the event.

On the ground at the airshow, Adam and Jake get an up-close look at some military hardware as they discuss the news of the previous week.

Mission Aviation Fellowship uses its aircraft and volunteers to help people living in the most isolated communities in Australia and around the world.   In this episode, the charity’s new local CEO, Chris Barnes, talks about their vital work, and what you can do to support them.   The pair also discuss the organisation’s history, its fleet and stories of how their team are making a real difference to people that need it most.

As the “big four” airports – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – bring in record revenues for their aeronautical operations, they’re starting to splash a lot of that cash on future-proofing their infrastructure.

Between third runways, terminal renovations, new safety technologies, and of course the ongoing construction of a second Sydney international gateway, airports on both sides of the Tasman are set to spend billions on upgrades over the next decade.

Adam and Jake look at some of the latest projects in the spotlight and what they mean for the sector as it continues to recover from the lingering effects of the pandemic.

Plus, does the government’s proposed aviation charter of customer rights go too far – or not far enough?