Aviation

Hard landingRunway crash disaster splits plane in two, killing 17

A special flight carrying evacuees to India who had been stranded abroad because of the coronavirus has skidded off a runway and split in two while landing in heavy rain.

Geoffrey Thomas with AP

Flying highAirbus clips Boeing’s wings in sky wars

European aerospace giant Airbus is flying much higher through the severe COVID-19 turbulence than arch-rival Boeing.

Geoffrey Thomas

Domestic blowFIFO star performer as COVID slows Qantas’ comeback

The latest COVID-19 outbreak wreaking havoc in the Eastern States has dealt a massive blow to Qantas’ plans to rebuild it domestic network.

Geoffrey Thomas

ExclusivePilot pay review key to Virgin’s FIFO routes

Pilot concessions will be critical to keeping Virgin Australia’s Perth-based regional and charter operations intact under its new owner, US private equity firm Bain Capital.

Geoffrey Thomas

Rescue bidVirgin Atlantic files for US bankruptcy protection

The battered airline’s restructuring plan in the UK depends on the approval of its Chapter 15 filing in the US, court filings say.

Josh Saul and Claire Boston

Read the statementVirgin confirms axing of TigerAir, 3000 staff

Virgin Australia has confirmed it will make 3000 staff redundant, suspend international operations and axe TigerAir Australia but retain its regional and charter division.

Geoffrey Thomas

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Jobs wiped out
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Virgin to lay off 3500, shelve international flights

The revamped airline is set to lay off almost half of its workforce as it sets a new flightpath in the coronavirus-ravaged travel industry.

Geoffrey Thomas

Work slowsBoeing warns of more job cuts as production slows

Boeing boss Dave Calhoun told staff in a memo to expect more job losses as the plane maker revealed it would cut monthly production rates on a number of models.

Geoffrey Thomas

Virus controlForecast for air travel recovery delayed another year

Air travel will not return to pre-COVID levels until at last 2024, according to the industry’s peak body.

Geoffrey Thomas

Ticket to rideAirport train on track ... but who will use it?

The first tracks on the Airport Line have been laid ahead of its opening late next year, but with COVID-19 set to disrupt air travel for years, the focus is on how to get FIFO workers on board.

Peter Law

Pushed backBoeing to delay launch of flagship 777X

The 777X is a major upgrade of the popular 777-300ER and incorporates 787 composite technology and a new engine from General Electric.

Geoffrey Thomas

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Qantas adds more planes to meet FIFO demand

The Airbus A320 has proved to be the perfect aircraft for the resource industry in WA’s harsh summer conditions.

Geoffrey Thomas

End of eraQantas’ nod to flying kangaroo with final flight

A significant chapter in Australia’s aviation history has drawn to a close as the national carrier’s last 747 jumbo set off for desert storage.

Gus McCubbing and staff reporters

Alarm bellsJobKeeper wind back could ‘cripple’ aviation further

The wind back of JobKeeper payments will cripple the aviation sector even further, with cabin crew already reporting difficulty in finding alternative work, according to industry unions.

Sarah Ison

Tourism lifelineGovt announces cut-price fares to Broome, Kununurra

Some 5500 cheap flights are up for grabs in a fresh bid to add life to the struggling Kimberley tourism industry and get people travelling to ‘real Australia’.

Josh Zimmerman

Virus flightDozens of WA arrivals could have been infected mid-air

Authorities are investigating whether an Emirates flight sparked the highest number of cases linked to a single event in WA since the arrival of the Al Kuwait live export ship almost seven weeks ago.

Peter Law

Restrictions biteAirlines start slow climb back to pre-COVID capacity

But Australia and the south-west Pacific region — operating at less than a third of its January level — continues to lag in the recovery.

Geoffrey Thomas

FIFO futureMine flights look set to stay with Virgin

The agreement to lease new planes comes as Virgin Australia Regional Airlines doubles the number of flights it was operating pre-COVID-19.

Geoffrey Thomas

New eraFuture in supersonic air travel revealed

The supersonic age for passengers will roll out on October 7 when Denver-based company Boom unveils its XB-1 scaled prototype of the future of top-end air travel.

Geoffrey Thomas

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‘Serious health issue’
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Passenger horrified by used tissues on Virgin flight

A passenger on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Sydney this morning has posted a picture on Twitter of used tissues in the seat back pocket.

Geoffrey Thomas

Coronavirus crisisVirus fears: No checks on Melbourne flight to Sydney

NSW Health authorities have failed to conduct health screenings for a Melbourne- to-Sydney flight on the evening before border closures came into effect, as they were busy checking another plane.

Ashlea Witoslawski

Chopper tragedyBroome mourns crash victims as investigation begins

Flowers have been placed on a cross near the site of a fatal helicopter crash that killed a 12-year-old girl and pilot Troy Thomas on Saturday, as his daughter and another woman remain in hospital.

Jakeb Waddell

‘Master plan’Pilots urge take-off as Bunbury to vote on airport plan

A cross-runway and additional hangars would be a “huge advantage” for pilots flying in and out of Bunbury Airport, according to one of the flying school’s operations manager.

Shannon Verhagen

Takeover turbulenceVirgin sale up in the air as bondholders seek review

The move by the airline’s bondholders throws plans to start generating cash into jeopardy as passengers will be reluctant to book ahead amid uncertainty about the takeover.

Geoffrey Thomas