After a long wait and a marathon ferry flight from Hamburg, Qantas’ first A321XLR, VH-OGA, has finally touched down in Australia, a significant step in the Flying Kangaroo’s “Project Winton” fleet renewal.

It’s the beginning of the end for Qantas’ ageing 737-800 fleet, even as the airline looks to acquire a few more “mid-life” 737s to tide it over as it waits – and with a range of 8,700km, compared to around 5,000km on the 737-800, might the A321XLR fleet fly internationally as well as domestically?

Adam and Jake discuss the latest on Qantas’ fleet changes, including plans to replace QantasLink’s Fokker 100s with Embraer E190s, and what the A321XLR might do for the national carrier beyond Australia’s shores.

Plus, a “rain bomb” blows a massive hole in Sydney Airport’s schedule – is the new two-hour recovery period enough to mitigate the disruptive effects of wild weather?

It was a day five years in the making for Virgin Australia, and it went off without a hitch: Australia’s second-largest airline group is finally back on the ASX, with CEO Dave Emerson ringing the bell for its IPO on Tuesday.

The relisting caps off a remarkable turnaround for Virgin Australia after it collapsed into administration in 2020 during COVID-19 – but now that the long road back to public trading is over, what’s next for the carrier?

Adam and Jake discuss how Virgin got back on its feet, how it’s changed its business model, and where its future might take it.

Plus, with tensions in the Middle East playing havoc with flights through the region, should airlines be looking at more connecting hubs between Australia and Europe?

Almost 40 years after its rebranding as Australian Airlines – and just over 30 years after its merger with Qantas – a consortium is planning to bring back Trans Australia Airlines, or TAA, with an ambitious plan that would see Rex become the resurrected airline’s regional arm.

While Rex’s administrator has knocked back Renaissance Partners’ dark-horse bid a second time, the firm is not yet giving up on its goal of turning Darwin into a hub for incoming flights from Australia’s north – but could it actually work?

Adam and Jake discuss the plan for the new TAA, what it might do for passengers, and whether it could avoid Australia’s ever-growing airline graveyard.

Plus, Virgin’s IPO finally hits the runway next week, big milestones at Western Sydney International Airport, and why the Air India crash doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the Dreamliner.

With co-host Jake Nelson off sick, Australian Aviation has had to improvise for this week’s podcast.

But what a treat we have for you. Two weeks ago, Australian Aviation’s sister brand, Space Connect, hosted its Australian Space Summit & Exhibition, otherwise known as AusSpace 25.

In our best panel, regular host Adam Thorn moderated a panel with three Australian astronauts, with the questions asked by schoolchildren.

Paul Scully-Power was Australia’s first-ever astronaut, who went to space in 1984. Eric Philips blasted off to space on a private SpaceX mission in April, while Katherine Bennell-Pegg was the first astronaut to formally qualify under the Australian flag.

With Western Sydney International Airport still a year and a half from opening, an unexpected alternative might be about to hit the congested NSW market: Newcastle Airport, a couple of hours north of Sydney, will soon have flights to Perth and Bali with more routes potentially on the way.

The news will not only allow Hunter Region residents to travel further afield without having to make the trek down to Sydney, it could also give Sydneysiders an alternative to the city’s own crowded airport while WSI finishes construction, providing to Sydney what Gold Coast Airport does to Brisbane.

As Newcastle Airport nears completion on its ambitious international terminal redevelopment, Adam and Jake look at what it might do for commercial aviation on the east coast.

Plus, after the tumult of the last few years, is Qantas finally climbing its way out of a massive public trust deficit?

On 2 July, associate professor Andrew Kornberg, senior neurologist at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, will set off from Moorabbin Airport on a journey around Australia in his own single-engine plane to raise $4.5 million for children with rare and complex neurological conditions.

The “Fly for the Kids” campaign – similar to Andrew’s previous flight in 2017 – will see him cover 27,000 kilometres over more than 50 hours in the air, in the hopes of establishing dedicated facilities and staff at the RCH for advanced therapies.

Along the way, Andrew will visit patients who have been given these new treatments in an effort to raise awareness of how kids with rare conditions can be given longer and happier lives.

Andrew spoke to the Australian Aviation Podcast ahead of his journey.

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.