The initiative for pets to travel in the cabin on Virgin Australia was first announced over a year ago. That was back in March 2024. It has taken until today (July 31, 2025) for Virgin Australia to announce the start date of the initiative. Virgin’s new CEO, Dave Emerson, speaking...

If you are Australian and planning a European getaway, you will soon need to budget three times as previously announced for a new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) fee. Originally priced at €7 (~A$11.50), the fee is due to nearly triple to €20 (~A$32 AUD) when the system...

Air New Zealand has named its chief digital officer, Nikhil Ravishankar, as its next chief executive. The airline thereby highlights its continuing shift toward a digital transformation. He will replace Greg Foran on October 20, 2025, after the latter’s six-year tenure steering the national carrier through one of the most volatile...

We have a date and a cost. The new Velocity Platinum Plus tier will debut on 1 October 2025. It will sit above the simple Platinum tier, but below the invitation-only Beyond tier. The new tier is at a parallel level to the Qantas Platinum One tier. It is designed...

As previewed back in May 2025, Etihad Airways is planning to introduce its new Business Class Suites on flights between Sydney & Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. The airline will gradually introduce its latest-generation aircraft on key Australian routes starting in July 2025.These new aircraft feature a Business Class with private...

Air New Zealand’s long‑rumoured makeover of its international lounge in Auckland is now official. The airline has confirmed plans to almost double the size of its Koru Lounge at Auckland International Airport and split the space into two distinct areas — one for top‑tier fliers and another for regular elite and...

Five Australian women have won a landmark legal victory. It will give them the right to sue Qatar Airways and airport operator MATAR over invasive body searches at Doha’s Hamad International Airport in October 2020. I have written a number of stories about this incident over the years. In a rare...

Tonga’s only domestic airline, Lulutai, has been grounded in the light of serious safety violations. The grounding leaves dozens of tourists and locals stranded during the country’s peak tourism season. Announced by the Civil Aviation Division on Saturday, the suspension has significantly impacted the tourism sector, prompting widespread outrage among...

What a heart-stopping moment for passengers aboard Virgin Australia Flight VA1528 from Sydney to Hobart when a power bank sparked a fire in an overhead locker, just as the plane began its descent. Here’s what happened, how crew kept everyone safe, and what it means for you next time you fly....

Thinking of heading to the USA for business, study or a long-term work stint? You’d better brace yourself. Donald Trump might even be reaching into Australian travellers’ pockets. Uncle Sam could have his hand in your pants, thanks to a new ‘Visa Integrity Fee tucked inside President Trump’s latest legislative...

Virgin Australia is officially back on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). After five years in the private-equity hangar under Bain Capital, the airline took off on the stock market runway on 24 June 2025, in one of the year’s most anticipated floats. But while the headlines were full of share...

That major data breach affecting around 5.7 million Qantas customers has sparked a potential class action. Although Qantas has been seen to act responsibly in keeping affected customers informed, that alone does not mitigate their potential legal liability. Australia’s leading class-action firm, Maurice Blackburn, has lodged a representative complaint—and they’re inviting...

Malaysia Airlines has announced an upgrade for its Sydney route to begin in October 2025. All of its three daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sydney will be operated by the airline’s brand-new A330-900neo fleet, each featuring a reverse-herringbone Business Class cabin with fully enclosed suites. I celebrate this news....