Australian Aviation Podcast Network

As water bombers try to contain the dramatic wildfires besieging Los Angeles, there are fresh warnings that longer fire seasons overseas may prevent other countries from sending their firefighting aircraft to help Australia in future.

Though the bushfire seasons since 2019–20's Black Summer have been comparatively mild, it's likely only a matter of time before the conditions are right for a repeat – but will Australia's sovereign firefighting fleet be ready?

Adam and Jake discuss the progress that has been made since the royal commission and whether successive governments have done enough to prepare for the next catastrophic bushfires.

Plus, as Jetstar continues to expand its Sunshine Coast operations and Launceston looks for new entrants to take over Bonza's former routes, will other airlines try – or be able – to fill the void the low-cost carrier left behind?

Last year ended in another aviation tragedy, with the horror crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216 in Muan, South Korea, killing all but two people on board. As investigators sift through the plane's wreckage and the black boxes to figure out what went wrong, light aircraft crashes closer to home are raising questions about whether our own transport safety watchdog, the ATSB, should expand its remit. Adam and Jake examine once again the issue of aviation safety and look at what might have gone wrong in Muan. Plus, the government's proposed charter of customer rights is out – will it actually improve the passenger experience?

It's been five decades since the year "Santa never made it into Darwin", when Cyclone Tracy devastated the Northern Territory capital in the wee hours of Christmas morning 1974.

In the wake of the disaster, the city – and all of Australia – pulled together to make sure its 40,000 people could safely rebuild.

This included the nation's aviation industry, with Darwin Airport becoming a vital lifeline as airlines and the RAAF brought much-needed people and supplies to and from the Top End in one of the biggest airlifts in Australian history.

In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake Nelson talks to Paul Boyce, who was TAA's Darwin manager when the cyclone hit in 1974, for his firsthand account of the disaster – and what came next.

Twelve months is a long time in aviation, and 2024 has been longer than most – not least because of the ignominious collapse of two domestic airlines, Rex and Bonza, which a year ago had seemed in far better shape than they actually were.

Of course, these weren't the only major developments, with Qatar and Virgin announcing a big new tie-up, the government releasing its highly-anticipated Aviation White Paper, and supply chain issues continuing to squeeze aircraft production.

In this final regular Australian Aviation Podcast for 2024, Adam and Jake break down the biggest stories of the year and look ahead to 2025.

Plus, speculation abounds that the government might buy out the biggest share of Rex's debt – but would it get its money's worth?

A few months after the government's Aviation White Paper promised action on disability access in airports and planes, a new advocacy campaign is calling for faster change in the industry.

Led by disability rights spokesperson Shane Hryhorec, the campaign says there are significant systemic problems around access that are leaving disabled passengers at risk of humiliation or injury, and that people with disabilities should get a seat at the table to push for improvements.

Adam and Jake unpack the issue and ask whether the industry – and government – are doing enough to make sure disabled passengers can travel safely and comfortably.

Plus, airports make the jump to 100 per cent renewable energy, the problem with Qantas' new Christmas livery, and from Florida with love – will Sydney Airport's "woman with the golden gun" fly another day?

Virgin Australia's tie-up with Qatar Airways is gathering steam, with the ACCC giving interim approval to sell tickets on 28 weekly wet-leased services to Doha, while the airline has officially applied to the IASC for all the available capacity.

There may be turbulence ahead, however, with the influential Transport Workers' Union hinting it might take back its support for the deal if ex-Qantas executive Paul Jones – who played a part in the illegal outsourcing scandal – is tapped to replace Jayne Hrdlicka as CEO.

Adam and Jake go over the latest news, including which airports will be first to see Virgin's Doha flights if the deal goes ahead.

Plus, calls are growing for Qantas to bring back international flights from Adelaide – but is the juice worth the squeeze for the Flying Kangaroo?

Think your airfares are bad? Spare a thought for the people of Darwin, who according to a recent ABC Stateline report, are having to pay thousands of dollars – even months in advance – for an interstate flight. Both Qantas Group and Virgin have denied any accusations of price gouging, with Qantas blaming various regional and seasonal factors while Virgin is pointing the finger squarely at Darwin Airport and its high fees – but are they right? Adam and Jake take a look at the situation up north and whether a bit more competition could cool down prices in the tropical Top End. Plus, who won this month's coveted Huey Award for reliability – and is it better to delay a flight than cancel it?

It's official – after more than 10 years codesharing with Virgin Australia, Etihad has called it quits, announcing the tie-up will end next June irrespective (it seems) of whether the exclusivity arrangement between Virgin and Qatar Airways is approved. With codesharing on Singapore Airlines services beyond Asia also looking likely to get the chop – but not Velocity frequent flyer benefits on those same services – what will this mean for passengers? Adam and Jake try to unpick the details and ask whether the exclusive code-sharing arrangement needs to be restricted. Plus, with regional airports owed millions after Rex went into administration, and rivals rebuking the government's bailout, is it time to let the airline go?

It's been three-and-a-half months since Rex went into administration, and while the planes are still flying, so far the administrators have yet to find a buyer for its regional turboprop operations despite securing a deal to sell off the profitable aeromedical wing Pel-Air.

Enter the federal government, which has extended its support for the airline to the tune of $80 million in financing, which the administrator has indicated it wants to use to keep the lights on until at least mid-2025 while growing the operational fleet.

Adam and Jake discuss whether this latest effort from the government is likely to bear fruit, and what it might mean for Rex's regional rivals.

Plus, Qantas objects to Virgin's wet-leasing deal with Qatar – but does the Flying Kangaroo have a leg to hop on?

It's the book that's sent shockwaves through the aviation world: The Chairman's Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, a deep dive into the Alan Joyce era and how Qantas went from one of the most trusted brands in the country to one of the least. Covering the decisions made during COVID-19 – including the illegal outsourcing of ground handlers and the controversial "flight credits" scheme – as well as the perception of undue influence on politics, failures in customer service, and other topics, author Joe Aston lays out the case against Joyce in a book that has put a national spotlight on aviation. In this Australian Aviation podcast, Jake Nelson speaks to Aston about the revelations in his book, his verdict on Joyce as a whole, and whether he believes new CEO Vanessa Hudson can right the ship.