Despite the ongoing state feud about the appropriate time to open borders back up, sentiment among the industry is positive, with Qantas raring to go as soon as they're given the green light and bidding for Virgin to be finalised by this Friday.

On this episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Phil Tarrant, Christian "Boo" Boucousis and Adam Thorn recap the not-so-confidential front runners in the fight for Virgin, the latest on JobKeeper and JobMaker eligibility in the aviation sector, and Air New Zealand's strong footing in the current crisis.

They reflect on research revealing a 20-year high for aerial firefighting safety incidents, a new low-cost carrier launching in Japan next week, and fresh attempts to build a helipad on Sydney's Sofitel.