Australian Aviation Podcast Network

The release of the December BITRE data for on-time domestic performance has seen carriers such as Rex and Qantas rush to claim victory over their rivals. But with on-time performance across the board still well below the long-term average – plus airfares still too high – should major airlines really be celebrating? Adam and Jake crunch the numbers, including a horror month for Bonza in the wake of its Gold Coast nightmare. Plus, Sydney Airport draws a line under COVID-19, Virgin receives an unexpected ally in the battle for Bali, and Australian Aviation branches out into buses.

So much for New Year's resolutions. As we enter 2024, Virgin and Qantas are attacking each other in a bid to operate lucrative flights to Bali.

Virgin says Qantas relies too heavily on overseas aircrew, while Qantas says Virgin charges too much. Who are we to believe?

In this episode, Adam and Jake discuss the latest.

Plus, with flights at record numbers, is the COVID-19 crisis finally over?

Over the Christmas holidays, two major international aviation stories got Australians talking, with radically different impacts for planemakers.

Airbus was hailed for its innovative aircraft design after everybody onboard an exploding A350 miraculously escaped unharmed.

However, Boeing faced another backlash after a door on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 blew out mid-flight. It came after the same aircraft type was involved in two fatal crashes and Boeing was fined billions.

In this episode, Adam and Jake talk about the latest developments and discuss what impact it will have on the local sector.

It's been an unpleasant couple for weeks for Bonza, the new kid on the Australian aviation block, with mass cancellations of its new Gold Coast routes while it waits for CASA to clear its wet-lease operations with Flair.

With customers fuming and damage control efforts underway, whose fault is the Gold Coast debacle, and what could have been done differently?

In the last Australian Aviation podcast for the year, Adam and Jake discuss the fallout and the optics for Bonza, and how its rivals are capitalising on its misfortune.

Plus, Richard Branson graces Australia with his august presence once again, Qantas gears up for a massive holiday peak, Australia's international recovery continues to race towards 100 per cent, and we thank the people who made our podcasts possible this year.

In November, UNSW Aviation held a panel to discuss the government's aviation white paper, which will create a long-term strategy for the industry for the next three decades. The session featured a collection of senior figures who gave a diverse range of views, including those who are pilots, lawyers, executives and policy experts. It was chaired by Australian Aviation's Adam Thorn. In this special podcast, we're giving our audience the chance to listen to the full debate.

In a spectacular proof of concept, Virgin Atlantic has flown the world's first commercial flight – from London to New York – powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from waste fats and plant sugars.

At a time when standards dictate a maximum of 50 per cent SAF blend, will Virgin Atlantic's argument of "if you make it, we'll fly it" spur further action from industry and governments?

Jake and Adam discuss the implications of the flight and how it could be a major step on the road to net zero.

Plus, Mildura Airport repairs its runway almost as fast as the lightning that struck it, Virgin boosts its 737 MAX 8 order, Airservices reveals why there's no "magic number" for ATC staffing, and do Australian air passengers need a "bill of rights"?

In the wake of Alan Joyce's exit from the Flying Kangaroo, aviation luminary Peter Harbison has released Alan Joyce and Qantas: The Trials and Transformation of an Australian Icon. The book charts the former CEO's life and career, from his youth in Ireland through to his defection from Ansett to Qantas, his role in the launch of Jetstar, and his turbulent 15 years as CEO of Australia's biggest airline group. In this exclusive interview, Jake Nelson talks with Harbison about his book, as well as his impressions of Alan Joyce's successes, failures and legacy. Plus, Harbison offers his insights on the lessons new Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson should take from the Joyce era, and what the rise of Rex and Bonza might mean for the Qantas-Virgin duopoly.

First Alan Joyce, now this – Australian Aviation's Chris Fenton is leaving us. In his (sort of) final episode, the team farewells the man who has held almost every job in aviation. But before he goes, Adam, Jake and Chris discuss the week's biggest stories, including Virgin's deteriorating relationship with the unions and the ongoing row over single-pilot flights. Plus, how will Canadian crew working for Bonza cope with the Goldie's scorching summer?

It's been another rough few weeks for Qantas, with the public unimpressed by the airline's claim that it doesn't sell tickets for specific flights but "bundles of contractual rights". With the Flying Kangaroo already on the nose for allegedly selling more than 8,000 tickets to already-cancelled flights, will the optics of that defence do more harm than good? Jake and Chris discuss the ongoing headaches for Qantas, which have not been helped by shareholder backlash at an often rancorous 2023 AGM. Plus, Australia's first female airline pilot Deborah Lawrie notches another win over the ghost of Reg Ansett, and is Rex wrong to complain about bigger airlines "pillaging" its pilots?

Earlier this year, UNSW Aviation held a special panel at the university, examining how a just culture can be improved to facilitate advances in aviation safety.

The session featured a panel of industry experts who gave a diverse range of views, including figures from CASA, Qantas and the Australian and International Air Pilots Association.

It was chaired by UNSW School of Aviation's Head of School, Brett Molesworth – a man with a unique background as both a pilot and professor in human factors.

In this special podcast, we're giving our audience the chance to listen to the full debate.