Riyadh Air has introduced Sfeer (meaning ‘Ambassador’ in Arabic), a loyalty program designed to be digital from the ground up. Expect a spend-based reward program, with most of the usual benefits. But there are a few intriguing signposts for the yet-to-be fully detailed program. Here’s a summary of what we...

Saudi Arabia’s emerging national carrier, Riyadh Air, has confirmed that its inaugural international route will link Riyadh to London Heathrow (LHR) beginning October 26, 2025. But, don’t get too excited, since these flights are not for the public, only for a select group of related employees. London First, Dubai Next:...

Qantas has once again found itself in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. This time, as part of a major global extortion attempt that’s hit almost 40 major companies, including Toyota, Disney, and IKEA. A hacker collective calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters claims to have stolen nearly one billion records by breaching...

Well, it’s official: Uber’s controversial kerbside rank at Sydney Airport’s international terminal isn’t going anywhere. After a 12-month trial and a six-month extension, the rideshare juggernaut has locked in its place on the Sydney T1 concourse. The New South Wales government is expected to make it all permanent come March...

Ryanair announced it will move to 100% digital boarding passes from 12 November 2025, in a company media release from September 24. They are pushing the start date back a week from the original 3 November date to avoid the busy European mid-term break. From that date, passengers will no...

The tier accelerator program is fairly hush-hush status challenge Qantas offers to members of other airline loyalty programs. If you’re a Virgin Velocity Gold or Platinum frequent flyer or hold equivalent status with another major airline, you might be eligible for this golden ticket . Qantas runs the tier accelerator...

Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, says it’s about status, but really it’s about spend. Qantas has launched another ‘Earn Status Credits on the ground’ promotion — promising up to 110 Status Credits without setting foot on a plane. Sounds generous, right? But this is less about helping you reach Gold or...

As of midnight U.S. time on 1 October 2025, the U.S. federal government is expected to shut down after Congress fails to pass all required funding bills. That means hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed (i.e. sent home without pay). Essential workers, such as air traffic controllers,...

New Emirates in-flight safety rules mean passengers can carry but not use power banks. As of 1 October 2025, Emirates will implement new in-flight safety regulations. These prohibit the use of power banks on all Emirates flights. Passengers may still bring a small portable charger onboard. But passengers cannot use...

From 12 October 2025, the European Union will begin phasing in its new Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace those colourful little passport stamps with digital kiosks, facial images and fingerprint scans. By April 2026, passport stamps will be fully gone across the 29 countries of the Schengen Zone. If...

This is good news if you hate lugging your checked bag through the transit maze at San Francisco International Airport. United Airlines has launched a new baggage screening system that eliminates the dreaded re-check step for connecting passengers. What’s Changing? Until now, travellers arriving in the United States from Australia...

Check your inbox, Velocity members. Virgin Australia has quietly slipped out a double or triple Status Credits promotion – but not everyone’s been invited to the party. Double or Triple Treat This isn’t a blanket offer for all Velocity frequent flyers. Instead, Virgin has taken a targeted approach, selecting an...

From October 1, Taiwan will become another Asian destination requiring Australians to complete a digital Arrival Card, called the Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC), before immigration will let you through. Another country, another form Taiwan joins Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand as part of the growing club of Asian countries scrapping paper...

Qantas yesterday (Thursday 25 September) finally launched its first Airbus A321XLRs on domestic routes. My invitation to the inaugural flight must have got lost in the mail. This launch marks the biggest shake-up to the Qantas narrow-body fleet in decades. The new aircraft promise more seats, larger overhead bins, USB-C...

If you hate the middle seat lottery, then Virgin Australia now has a lottery fix. From Wednesday, 24 September 2025, the airline has rolled out Neighbour-Free Seating. This scheme lets economy passengers bid to keep the seat next to them empty. But only on select domestic and short-haul international routes....