Wild About Travel
Skyward No More: The Airlines We Lost in 2024
Each year, I reflect on the airlines we lost over the past 12 months. While I much prefer writing about thriving airlines, examining closures offers insight into the industry’s harsh realities. Most airlines that ceased operations in the past year were small-scale ventures. Some, like ČSA Czech Airlines, LIAT, and...
2PAXfly
AIRLINE SAFETY: Top safest airlines for 2025 revealed. Qantas misses top position because old planes
Whatever you think of the Skytrax empire, AirlineRatings.com has released its airline safety evaluation of the Top 25 Safest Full-Service and Low-Cost Airlines for 2025. To formulate the lists, they have been monitoring 385 carriers worldwide. Full-Service Airlines: Air New Zealand tops the list World’s safest airline goes to Air...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Flights delayed by Space X rocket debris
According to a story in The Guardian, Qantas flights between Sydney and Johannesburg have faced last-minute delays following warnings from the US government about falling debris from SpaceX rocket re-entries in the Southern Indian Ocean. Disruptions caused by Space X rocket re-entry Ben Holland, head of Qantas’s operations centre, explained...
2PAXfly
MELBOURNE AIRPORT: To expand International Terminal to accommodate passenger growth
Melbourne Airport plans to expand its international terminal. The expansion will give the airport greater capacity and improve passengers’ experience. The airport has already spent a year consulting with its client airlines. Record International Passenger Traffic December 2024 saw a history-making 1,147,533 international passengers use the airport, the highest monthly...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Launch of Melbourne to Doha international flights — 1 December 2025
Virgin Australia resumes long-haul international flying from Melbourne with its daily service to Doha on Monday, 1 December 2025. Tickets are now on sale. The flights will be conducted on wet-leased Qatar Airways Boeing 777 aircraft. That means although listed as a Virgin Australia flight, you will be travelling on...
Wild About Travel
Flying Around the World for “Free”: A Frequent Flyer Adventure
Flying around the globe is the holy grail of travel—a dream for many but achieved by few. In August and September 2024, I flew around the world, mainly in Business Class, aiming to use frequent flyer points to cover the journey. Many people have been curious about how I managed...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Is CEO Jayne Hrdlicka changing her departure plans?
Speculation is swirling around Virgin Australia’s CEO Jayne Hrdlicka following signs that she may be rethinking her decision to leave the airline despite her February 2024 announcement of stepping down. Recent developments, including strategic successes and personal investments, suggest her departure might not be set in stone after all. A...
2PAXfly
VIETNAM AIRLINES: Eyes ambitious network expansion with New International Routes in 2025
Vietnam Airlines (VN), based in Hanoi, is considering an ambitious network expansion. The Vietnamese flag carrier has its sights set on new international destinations across Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America. Growing global footprint Vietnam Airlines will soon fly to six European cities: London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Munich...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Time to prepare for Qantas Double Status Credits & Points promotion
If I had a dollar for every time someone posted on social media Qantas forums ‘When is the next Qantas double status credits promotion?‘, I would be a very rich man. Almost no one predicted the last promotion in October 2024. You will see below the history of the Double...
2PAXfly
BRAZIL: Need for Australians to get a visa to enter Brazil from April 2025 ~ probably
This is becoming a bit of a saga, with Australians and citizens of the USA and Canada again needing a visa to enter Brazil. The current implementation date is 10 April 2025. If you already have a valid physical visa, you are OK. If you don’t, you need to apply...
2PAXfly
CHINESE AIRLINES: Your guide to which one is best
There are currently nine Chinese airlines that service destinations in Australia. That’s more airlines flying into Australia than from any other part of the world—more than Europe and North America. However, Chinese airlines don’t have a good reputation, and with many having ‘China’ in their name, it’s hard to distinguish...
Wild About Travel
2024 Recapped: Best and Worst Airports in the World
Over the last week, I have reviewed my 2024 destinations and rated the best and worst airlines. Today, I want to focus on the best and worst airports after flying to or from 65 airports in 2024 and 289 in my lifetime. Whether you’re starting your journey or connecting at...
2PAXfly
US GLOBAL ENTRY: Trial for Australians this month, January 2025
In August 2024, USA and Australian immigration bodies announced that Australia would soon be able to participate in the United States Global Entry program in 2025. This program streamlines entry into the USA through pre-approval. It has now been confirmed according to ET, that a trial of the program will...
2PAXfly
UNITED KINGDOM: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for Australians starts today, 8 January 2025
With an estimated million-plus Australians heading to the UK this year, don’t pack your Samsonite without knowing about a new ETA travel hoop to jump through. I have written before about the introduction of the ETA for the United Kingdom, but here is a reminder. A £10 UK welcome fee!...
2PAXfly
REX: ASIC accuse Regional Express of director duties breach
Currently in administration, Regional Express (REX) is also being sued by ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission) for behaviour that breached directors’ duties. We now know some more details through court document filings. ASIC’s accusation of deceitful conduct Executive chairman Lim Kim Hai is accused of drafting a misleading statement...
2PAXfly
AIRLINES: Australian airlines drag their landing gear in on-time performance
Cirium is an aviation data provider that has just released a report about airline and airportse including on-time performance. This data is more interesting than the data released by the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) because it has international scope, allowing comparisons between Australian airlines and the best worldwide...