This Month
Strap in for a bumpy summer as old planes and surging demand collide
The high number of flight delays and cancellations were meant to have been smoothed out by now. But a crunch in the number of planes is dragging it out.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Greg Foran goes hard to reverse Air New Zealand’s nose dive
He’s run Walmart and Woolworths supermarkets. Now the rugby-mad Kiwi plans to end half a decade of poor performance with an unusual move to retrofit old planes.
- Ayesha de Kretser
- Updated
- Mergers & acquisitions
Union demands CEO veto in exchange for supporting Virgin’s Qatar deal
The powerful Transport Workers Union is concerned that a former Qantas executive involved in the illegal sacking of staff is the frontrunner for the top job.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
November
Qatar still pushing for extra flights as ACCC gives interim approval
Giving the Middle Eastern airline extra landing rights would make life even more difficult for Qantas, which faces delays getting new planes and a hefty capex bill.
- Ayesha de Kretser
- Overall Winner
- Fast 100
This is the fastest-growing company in Australia
Founded by an ex-banker, this air ambulance start-up has achieved 700 per cent revenue growth thanks to business from the cruise industry.
- Primrose Riordan
Meet the lawyer who set up his own cannabis company
A potential career crisis sparked the founder of this medicinal cannabis company, which comes in at No9 on The Australian Financial Review Fast Starters List.
- Richard Pullin
Virgin’s plan to fly Qatar planes poised for ACCC green light
The Bain-backed airline hopes to fly the Gulf carrier’s Boeing 777s to Doha in a return to long-haul international services from the middle of next year.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Air New Zealand to follow Qantas for premium cabin makeover
The Kiwi carrier will undertake a major overhaul of its fleet to add more premium economy and business class seats.
- Ayesha de Kretser
- Updated
- Virgin Australia
Etihad rips up Virgin frequent flier partnership after Qatar deal
The Bain Capital-backed airline has told the ACCC that it will retain alliance arrangements with Singapore Airlines despite its new major shareholder.
- Updated
- Fiona Carruthers and Ayesha de Kretser
WA black truffles go global as cargo flights become Michelin missions
The delicacies lose 2 per cent to 3 per cent of their weight every day they sit in storage, meaning exporters are beholden to securing reliable deliveries.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Macquarie makes 50pc gain in $3b British airport sell-off
The asset manager was forced to sell off three UK airports as it winds down a closed-end fund. It joins a slew of recent transactions in the frothy sector.
- Hans van Leeuwen
- Updated
- Regional Express Holdings
Labor’s $80m Rex handout angers regional rivals and potential buyers
The government hopes the money will keep the collapsed carrier flying to country towns until next year in the hopes administrators can sell the company.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
Qantas claims network advantage will outgun bulked up Qatar
Qantas international boss Cam Wallace says the wet leasing arrangement that facilitates the partnership between Virgin and Qatar cannot be indefinite.
- Ayesha de Kretser and Jenny Wiggins
Migration policy hijacked by unis and bureaucrats: McKenzie
Bridget McKenzie says Australia’s debate on migration needs refocusing; Malcolm Turnbull’s former son-in-law James Brown to run against Teal MP. Follow live updates.
- Updated
- Lucy Slade
- Analysis
- Qantas
There are plenty of dangers for Qantas in Virgin’s Qatar tie-up
The flying kangaroo says it welcomes competition – except from the Gulf airline – as investors fear the deal could cause havoc with its international division.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Airlines bristle at $20k fines for cancelling flights
A Senate inquiry is considering an overhaul of how landing slots are managed at Australia’s busiest airport.
- Andrew Tillett
Sydney Airport grass fire follows suspected Qantas engine failure
Flights out of Sydney Airport were in chaos on Friday after engine failure on a Qantas flight forced an emergency landing and appeared to spark a grass fire.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
Virgin-Qatar tie-up could break Qantas’ grip on Canberra
Canberra Airport says the combination of Virgin and Qatar would help to end politicians’ preference for flying Qantas.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Airports say don’t cut Singapore Airlines out of Virgin-Qatar tie-up
The Australian Airports Association has warned the ACCC that passengers will lose a crucial route to Europe if the Qatar-Virgin tie-up is approved in the proposed format.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Private jet use jumps – and so do emissions (even to a climate summit)
A peer-reviewed study has found carbon emissions have risen almost 50 per cent in four years, and wealthy Australians are disproportionately represented.
- Ayesha de Kretser
