Darsh Chapman

Qatar Airways is set to acquire a 25% stake in Virgin Australia, marking a significant move that could reshape both airlines' access to key markets. As part of the deal, Virgin Australia will wet-lease widebody aircraft to operate routes to Doha, enhancing its international presence while boosting Qatar Airways’ feed from Australia. This partnership offers a low-risk path for Virgin Australia to return to long-haul operations, while Qatar Airways gains increased access to Australian markets despite flight restrictions. The deal may also reignite discussions on regulatory competition, given Australia’s current appetite for more international players. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Y12h0R

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The Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand (BARNZ) believe that proposed steep increases to visa costs will result in reduced numbers of tourists arriving in New Zealand. “Planned air services for destination New Zealand for summer 2024 reveals just a 2% increase on summer 2023. New Zealand’s tourism recovery has slowed almost to standstill. Yet New Zealand is piling cost onto those same international visitors we claim we want to attract.” The increases to visa fees come after a closed consultation period in which the aviation sector was not included, resulting in increases coming into effect just in time for those with plans to visit New Zealand during the summer. The increase in visa fees means that a proposed International Visitor Levy (IVL) should be ‘off the table’ as proposed changes would see increases of up to $100 per person. The decrease in the number of internationally visitors would impact sectors outside of the airlines, such as accommodation, tourism, and hospitality. To read through BARNZ’s full media release, click the link below.

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Just in: Australia's budget airline Bonza unexpectedly grounded all flights on Tuesday, April 30th, leaving passengers stranded and the future of the company uncertain. The airline, which only launched in January 2023, cited discussions about "ongoing business viability" as the reason for the suspension. The sudden suspension has caused chaos for travellers who had booked flights with Bonza. CEO Tim Jordan apologized for the inconvenience and assured customers that they were working on a solution "to ensure there is ongoing competition in the Australian domestic aviation market." #Airport #Airline #Australia #AviationIndustry #Bonza #AviationOasis https://lnkd.in/eYXcuwZr

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CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific Session Spotlight: Aviation Sustainability - How is the industry moving from intention to transition? The air travel sector is coming under ever greater pressure from customers, governments, and others to accelerate its transition to a low carbon future. Yet, sustainability is more than simply making progress towards net zero goals, and for the industry to be truly sustainable it needs to be financial and operationally stable. Join us to learn more: https://bit.ly/3u5KPxn

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It was great to share the news from our data at the Flight Centre Travel Group, that international airfares are trending down across the board. This is great for Aussie travellers with an average drop of 13%. More competition means increased capacity and better prices.   What does that mean? on average, return fares from Sydney to Bali last year cost $1010 whereas now the average price is $800, while the USA has dropped by $300 on average. I shared last week that Flight Centre is in the midst of its biggest ever sale with holidays, cruise and tours for up to half price off. While above are the averages for airfares, there are some cracking lead-in prices this month.   Thanks to The Australian’s Robyn Ironside and Ten News First’s Jayde Cotic who kicked off the coverage and all the other national publications who have helped us spread the word since. https://lnkd.in/eDG948BZ

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