2PAXfly
QANTAS: Final A380 returns, back in the air 1 January 2026
Just in time for the Christmas travel crush, Qantas has wheeled its tenth and final Airbus A380 out of long-term storage and back onto the Sydney tarmac, nearly 2,000 days since it last touched Australian soil. Yes, the superjumbo Paul McGinness (named for one of the airline’s founders) is back,...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: ‘Champagne for Lulu.’ You can now get Bollinger in First Class
Qantas is rolling out a fresh wave of upgrades to its A380, and currently only First Class cabins. From December, First passengers will have a new dining program, brand-new Aesop amenity kits, redesigned pyjamas, upgraded Champagne with Bollinger, and dine-on-demand, dressed up as ‘wellness. The retrofit is part of Qantas’...
2PAXfly
AIRBUS: A320 software glitch triggers chaos at Australian airports and internationally
If you turned up at an airport this morning expecting a routine Jetstar hop to Melbourne, Hobart or Adelaide, chances are you walked straight into a scene that looked more like the chaos of Boxing Day sales. Airports were filled with long queues, cancelled flights, confused announcements, and a whole...
2PAXfly
INDIA: Qantas and Jetstar plan sub-continental expansion with new jets
Australia’s fast-growing demand for travel to India is about to be met with renewed enthusiasm from Qantas and Jetstar. As both airlines usher in new long-range aircraft, they’re preparing to expand their presence on routes to the subcontinent significantly. For travellers, this means more nonstop flights, more modern cabins, and...
2PAXfly
FLIGHT DEALS: Black Friday & Cyber Monday flight deals: Domestic & International
It’s that time of year again, when Australians pretend Black Friday is a local tradition, and not a marketing festival imported from the USA. Airlines are gleefully landing on the day, too, since they have never been shy about taking advantage of any marketing opportunity. But seriously, some are dropping...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Economy Plus cabin on A330 to service Asia
Qantas’ shiny new Economy Plus cabin, the one that gives you more room and the warm fuzzy feeling of boarding before everyone else, is getting a long-haul upgrade. From next year (2026), the airline will bolt the product onto its international Airbus A330 fleet, the aircraft that does much of...
2PAXfly
QANTAS & VIRGIN: What travellers need to know about the ban on power bank use on flights
If you’re the sort of traveller who boards a flight with your phone at 23%, a laptop on life support, and a power bank the size of a small brick, brace yourself. Australian airlines, that’s Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink and Virgin Australia, are banning the use of portable power banks onboard...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Adelaide Qantas Business Class lounge — ceiling leaks already
This is my first visit to the new Qantas Business Lounge at Adelaide Airport, which opened earlier this year, and was carved out of the old Qantas Club. Background For many years, Adelaide didn’t have a dedicated Qantas Business Class lounge. In August 2022, Qantas first announced plans to redevelop...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Airpoints loyalty program to become ‘Koru’ from April 2026
Air New Zealand has revealed some of the details of the makeover of its loyalty program., From April 2026, the long-running Airpoints program will be renamed and reborn as Koru. As well as a new name, there will be newly named tiers and new benefits. Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil...
2PAXfly
MELBOURNE AIRPORT: New AU$500m baggage system — fewer lost bags & faster check-in
Melbourne Airport says it’s about to drag its international baggage handling into the 21st century, with testing now underway on a half-billion-dollar, German-built, fully automated baggage system that promises faster processing, real-time bag tracking, and fewer bags going AWOL between check-in and carousel. The system, built by logistics heavyweight Beumer...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: to roll out free Starlink WiFi for all cabins
Emirates is preparing to consign slow inflight Wi-Fi to the dustbin of aviation history, confirming it will roll out free, ultra-fast Starlink internet across its entire fleet of 232 Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s. This will create the world’s largest Starlink-enabled international fleet and marks a genuine turning point for...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: New A321XLR now flying Brisbane to Sydney route
Qantas’ newest narrowbody, the long-awaited Airbus A321XLR, has officially landed in Brisbane, beginning regular flights between Sydney and Brisbane from today. It’s another milestone in Qantas’ fleet renewal program,and the first time Queenslanders get to experience the most modern single-aisle aircraft flying. For passengers, the A321XLR represents a very real...
2PAXfly
FIJI AIRWAYS: Paul Scurrah, former Virgin boss returns to aviation
Fiji Airways has a new CEO, and he’s a familiar name to anyone who remembers the great Virgin Australia upheaval of 2020. Paul Scurrah, former Virgin Australia CEO, has taken over as Managing Director & CEO of Fiji Airways from 1 November 2025. This marks his long-anticipated return to the...
Wild About Travel
Air Japan exits after Just Three Short Years
I am heading to Japan from Bangkok in December, and I always like to keep my options open for flying. ANA Group’s subsidiary, Air Japan (NOT JAL Japan Airlines), has been strongly marketing itself as a key carrier at Bangkok Airport, operating several times a week from Bangkok to Narita...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Hobart lounge cupboard to grow with redesign
This has been a long time coming for Tasmanian travellers. Qantas is about to upgrade and expand its famously poky Hobart lounge cupboard, sorry Hobart Qantas Club, with a redesign and expansion that is far more befitting for the island’s growing status as a premium destination. With an opening date...
2PAXfly
SINGAPORE: Green flying comes with a COST — Singapore slaps SAF levy on airfares
If you’re flying out of Singapore from mid-2026, get ready to pay a little extra to support the island state’s net-zero by 2050 sustainability initiative. From April next year, Singapore will introduce a green tax on airfares, the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) levy. From October 2026, that tax will be...