It’s been just over a week since Qantas suffered a major data breach, with cyber criminals stealing a trove of customer data from a call centre including names, email addresses and frequent flyer numbers. The reputational shellacking is one the Flying Kangaroo certainly didn’t need, but has the backlash been fair, and what has Qantas been doing to protect customers in the wake of the attack? Adam and Jake are joined by special guest David Hollingworth from Cyber Daily to discuss the impact and aftermath of the hack, and how you can protect your data. Plus, Huey Award laureate Hinterland Aviation is up for sale – who might snap up the much-loved regional carrier?
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Qantas XLR-ates its fleet renewal
After a long wait and a marathon ferry flight from Hamburg, Qantas’ first A321XLR, VH-OGA, has finally touched down in Australia, a significant step in the Flying Kangaroo’s “Project Winton” fleet renewal. It’s the beginning of the end for Qantas’ ageing 737-800 fleet, even as the airline looks to acquire a few more “mid-life” 737s to tide it over as it waits – and with a range of 8,700km, compared to around 5,000km on the 737-800, might the A321XLR fleet fly internationally as well as domestically? Adam and Jake discuss the latest on Qantas’ fleet changes, including plans to replace QantasLink’s Fokker 100s with Embraer E190s, and what the A321XLR might do for the national carrier beyond Australia’s shores. Plus, a “rain bomb” blows a massive hole in Sydney Airport’s schedule – is the new two-hour recovery period enough to mitigate the disruptive effects of wild weather?
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Smooth landing for Virgin at ASX
It was a day five years in the making for Virgin Australia, and it went off without a hitch: Australia’s second-largest airline group is finally back on the ASX, with CEO Dave Emerson ringing the bell for its IPO on Tuesday. The relisting caps off a remarkable turnaround for Virgin Australia after it collapsed into administration in 2020 during COVID-19 – but now that the long road back to public trading is over, what’s next for the carrier? Adam and Jake discuss how Virgin got back on its feet, how it’s changed its business model, and where its future might take it. Plus, with tensions in the Middle East playing havoc with flights through the region, should airlines be looking at more connecting hubs between Australia and Europe?
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The return of TAA?
Almost 40 years after its rebranding as Australian Airlines – and just over 30 years after its merger with Qantas – a consortium is planning to bring back Trans Australia Airlines, or TAA, with an ambitious plan that would see Rex become the resurrected airline’s regional arm. While Rex’s administrator has knocked back Renaissance Partners’ dark-horse bid a second time, the firm is not yet giving up on its goal of turning Darwin into a hub for incoming flights from Australia’s north – but could it actually work? Adam and Jake discuss the plan for the new TAA, what it might do for passengers, and whether it could avoid Australia’s ever-growing airline graveyard. Plus, Virgin’s IPO finally hits the runway next week, big milestones at Western Sydney International Airport, and why the Air India crash doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the Dreamliner.
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3 Australian astronauts answer questions from schoolkids
With co-host Jake Nelson off sick, Australian Aviation has had to improvise for this week’s podcast. But what a treat we have for you. Two weeks ago, Australian Aviation’s sister brand, Space Connect, hosted its Australian Space Summit & Exhibition, otherwise known as AusSpace 25. In our best panel, regular host Adam Thorn moderated a panel with three Australian astronauts, with the questions asked by schoolchildren. Paul Scully-Power was Australia’s first-ever astronaut, who went to space in 1984. Eric Philips blasted off to space on a private SpaceX mission in April, while Katherine Bennell-Pegg was the first astronaut to formally qualify under the Australian flag.
The official podcast network of Australian Aviation – where we unpack all the latest insights and developments plus the big issues impacting Australia’s aviation sector.
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