Perth Airport will invest around AUD 3 billion ($2 billion) in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway to generate immediate and ongoing economic growth and job creation.

This will form part of a AUD 5 billion ($3.33 billion) capital investment program by Perth Airport which will also deliver two multi-storey car parks, major access roadworks, and the airport精东影业 first hotel. According to Qantas, this is the largest-ever private infrastructure development in Perth.

Qantas and Jetstar will also relocate all their services to a dedicated terminal that the airline said will enable the growth required to turn Western Australia into a major domestic and international hub for the airlines.

The new terminal is set to open in 2031, and together, Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually.

The Australian flag carrier said the hub will significantly enhance inbound tourism and give Australians more options when traveling to Asia, Africa, India, and Europe.

Qantas said it will work with Perth Airport on plans for a multi-lounge precinct for international and domestic passengers with a new signature design and bespoke dining and wellness initiatives.

Under the agreement, Qantas also plans to build a new engineering hangar in the Airport Central precinct.

Qantas and Perth Airport have also agreed on the need for and timing of the new parallel runway which is expected to be open in 2028.

鈥淭his is the largest airport infrastructure deal in our history,鈥� Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a statement. 鈥淚t will enable us to create a world-class western hub and significantly expand our domestic and international services over the short, medium and long term.鈥�

鈥淧erth-London and Perth-Rome are two of the most popular flights on our international network, which gives us confidence in our strategy to ramp up WA flying over the next few years as we receive new aircraft and grow our fleet,鈥� Hudson added.

Hudson also said that the additional flying would see Qantas create an estimated 700 new jobs in Western Australia across pilots, crew, engineering, and airport staff.

Qantas agrees to pay $66M in penalty over ‘ghost flight’ sales lawsuit

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06

The east to west domestic service will be available five times per week, using the airline精东影业 B737 aircraft. 

The new Melbourne to Perth route will become Rex精东影业 11th domestic service, with its Boeing 737 fleet flying to Australian state capital cities including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and the Gold Coast.

According to Rex, the new service will add almost 90,000 seats to one of Australia精东影业 busiest routes.

Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said that the arrival of Rex精东影业 new route will increase competition and offer better options for customers.

“Having a third airline group flying between Perth and Melbourne will increase competition and allow more people to reconnect with family and friends or explore Victoria’s fantastic tourism offering,” Argus said in a statement.

鈥淲hen more airlines compete on a particular route, consumers benefit and our record in the

domestic markets speaks for itself 鈥� Rex delivers terrific value for money,鈥� Rex General Manager Network Strategy Warwick Lodge said.

鈥淩ex consistently outshines its domestic rivals in on-time performance and cancellation rates,

and when travelers are booking a route of this distance and duration, reliability is paramount,鈥� Lodge added.

According to Lodge, Rex精东影业 competitors canceled a total of 57 flights on the Melbourne-Perth route in the first four months of 2024, while their combined on-time arrival and departure performance was only around 72%.

Rex signs interline agreement with Etihad, 72 global destinations opened up聽聽聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-03-13

The restart of services marks the end of a four-year hiatus of the service which was discontinued in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide decimating international travel. The newly resumed service will initially operate three times per week, delivering 78,936 seats onto the Johannesburg to Perth route, according to the airline.

SAA is using its single 19-year-old Airbus A340-300 aircraft on the route (registered ZS-SXF). The aircraft accommodates 253 passengers in a two-class configuration – 38 in business class and 215 in economy class. The route is a distance of 5,173 miles (8,325 km) and takes around nine hours and 30 minutes to complete on the eastbound leg to Perth.聽聽

鈥淚t was great to see South African Airways back after a four-year break,鈥� said Perth Airport精东影业 CEO Jason Waters. 鈥淧erth Airport has had a remarkable partnership with SAA, which has spanned 67 years, and we are incredibly pleased to have them flying to and from our airport again.鈥�

鈥淭here are a high number of South African ex-pats living in Perth and across WA, so the airline精东影业 return is great news for those with family connections in South Africa as well as those looking to explore all that South Africa has to offer,鈥� he added.

The airport operators are hoping that the service will resume a daily frequency once traffic has built up on the route after the four-year break.

“This inaugural non-stop service operated by South African Airways represents a significant milestone in our state’s aviation recovery, providing direct connections for the substantial South African community residing in Western Australia,鈥� said Western Australia精东影业 Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Rita Saffioti.

“We鈥檙e really excited this service between Johannesburg and Perth has been reinstated, which brings massive advantages for our state’s tourism industry and of course, marks the 19th international destination we have secured direct links to since the pandemic.鈥�

鈥淭he resumption of this flight is welcome news for South African ex-pats and their visiting friends and relatives, as well as for those traveling to Western Australia for major events such as the Springbok fans, who now have a direct connection ahead of the Rugby Championship match in August 2024 at the Optus Stadium,鈥� Saffioti added.

What SAA says about JNB-PER

鈥淲e are excited to be back on these beautiful Perth shores, especially after stepping off the inaugural South African Airways鈥� direct flight between Johannesburg and Perth 鈥� marking a significant milestone in our recovery journey since we returned to the skies about three years ago,鈥� commented South African Airways鈥� CEO, Professor John Lamola as he disembarked the inaugural flight.

鈥淚 can confirm that it was a pleasant and comfortable 10-hour flight and the shortest route between Johannesburg and Perth. Perth is our second intercontinental route to be relaunched after S茫o Paulo, it signals the strategic importance to our growth and expansion plans. Additionally, Perth holds a special place in the hearts of many South Africans with strong family and business ties in the city and we are excited to make our contribution to the rekindling and strengthening of these ties,鈥� he added.

鈥淭he relaunch of this route also means SAA now offers the most direct route across the Southern Hemisphere, from S茫o Paulo to Perth and back through Johannesburg. This opens up South Africa and Australia to tourists and business travelers from Latin America, boosting the regional economies and growing the brands of both countries. We look forward to a long and enduring relationship with the people of Perth,鈥� Lamola concluded.

Exploring the use of robotics and automation to enhance airport ground handling

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-07-06

Beginning October 2024, the Dubai-based carrier will upgrade its second daily flight between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Brisbane Airport (BNE) – flight numbers EK430/431 – to its signature A380 aircraft.

The A380 Brisbane service will operate on the following schedule:

EK430: depart Dubai 02:30 local time, arrive in Brisbane 22:00 local time

EK431: depart Brisbane 01:55 local time, arrive in Dubai at 10:05 local time

Starting December 1, 2024, Emirates will resume its second daily flight to Perth International Airport (PER) using the airline精东影业 fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

It will operate on the following schedule:

EK424: depart Dubai at 09:15 local time, arrive in Perth at 00:05 the following day. 

EK425: depart Perth at 06:00 local time, arrive Dubai at 13:10 

 鈥淲e’re pleased to offer more choices and opportunities for Australians traveling from Brisbane and Perth through the ramp up of our operations. It精东影业 a demonstration of the importance of both gateways for tourism and trade, and Emirates鈥� commitment to ensure convenient schedules and comfortable connections to and through Dubai,鈥� Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President Australasia at Emirates said in a statement.

Brown continued: 鈥淲hether it精东影业 the advantage of seamless afternoon connections from Dubai to a wealth of destinations across Europe on the second Perth flight, or a full A380 experience to and from Brisbane to close to 50 cities served by our flagship, we鈥檙e creating access to diverse opportunities for business, leisure, culture, and more.鈥�

Emirates doubles hugely successful A380 premium economy service to Melbourne

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-01-23

Flight TR 386 was operating from Perth International Airport (PER) to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in the Philippines on December 1, 2023. The flight had a stopover in Changi Airport in Singapore (SIN), and it was on the Singapore to Manila leg that the incident occurred.

The man, reportedly an Australian, had allegedly been throwing insults at other passengers and demanding drinks from cabin crew during the flight.

When the flight was near landing, a fellow passenger decided to film the man精东影业 antics. When the man saw that he was being filmed, he approached the passenger and asked, 鈥淲hat are you filming?鈥�

Footage from the recording passenger精东影业 camera, which was later uploaded to , captured a verbal exchange between the two men amid announcements from cabin crew via the PA system requesting all passengers to remain seated.

The Australian can then be heard challenging the passenger to have a 鈥渙ne on one鈥�, to which the passenger said, 鈥渓ater, when we get off.鈥�

Gasps from passengers were heard when the Australian suddenly slapped the passenger. A video taken by another passenger and uploaded on TikTok, but consequently taken down, shows the passenger being slapped squarely on the face.

A succeeding clip shows the unruly passenger on the floor of the aircraft with a bloodied face and his legs bound with zip ties. Other passengers helped the cabin crew restrain the man.

In a statement sent to 精东影业, Scoot Airlines said that the man was handed over to Philippine police upon landing, and was sent back to Perth the following day after being denied entry into the Philippines.

鈥淎s a result of disruptive behavior, a passenger was restrained and subsequently handed over to the local authorities upon arrival. Consequently, the said passenger was denied entry into The Philippines and was returned to Perth on December 2, 2023,鈥� the statement said.

The airline continued: 鈥淎t Scoot, we prioritize the safety and well-being of our customers and staff members. We will take appropriate measures against any passenger who poses a risk to the safety of our customers and staff.鈥�

This is not the first time a brawl occurred on a Scoot flight. A November 2023 video clip was uploaded to TikTok showing a group of female passengers engaging in a physical quarrel on a Scoot Airways flight.

Scoot flight escorted by Singapore’s F-15SG fighter aircraft due to bomb threat

• Airlines
• Aviation Safety

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-10-13

Virgin Australia said Flight Night is Australia精东影业 first trick-or-treating experience at 40,000 feet. The flight departed from Perth Airport (PER) on the evening of October 30, 2023.

To set the ghoulish mood, Perth Airport was transformed into a haunted hall where guests received their own Halloween makeover before boarding the flight.

On board, the airline went all-out with cobweb covered bar carts and midnight treats from M&M鈥橲, Mars Bars, Milky Way, and other Mars Wrigley sweets. Cabin crew also donned costumes fit for the occasion, complete with professionally applied Halloween makeup.

The red-eye flight touched down at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport at 06:15 local time on October 31, 2023.

鈥淚t精东影业 our mission to be Australia精东影业 most loved airline and that means giving our customers wonderful experiences whenever they fly. Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last decade, and it精东影业 a holiday we are excited to share with our guests as we take the spooky celebrations sky-high,鈥� Paul Jones, Virgin Australia精东影业 Chief Customer & Digital Officer said in an emailed statement to 精东影业.

鈥淥ur cabin crew loved getting into the spirit of Halloween and guests were thrilled by the theatrics. From the eerie orange in-flight lighting and spooky costumes to the mid-air trick-or-treating, it was without a doubt one of our most memorable flights,鈥� Jones said.

New research shows a spike in the popularity of Halloween with more than 5.3 million Australians celebrating the trick-or-treat traditions as well as other Halloween related activities.聽

10 bizarre flight passenger incidents that are eerily similar to horror films

• This is interesting!

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-10-28

The first Sydney-Shanghai flight took off on October 29, 2023, and marks the final international destination to return to Qantas鈥� pre-COVID network since borders reopened. 

The Australian flag-carrier has also announced that the airline is adding another direct service between Australia and Europe.  

From July 2024, Qantas will fly directly to Paris from Perth which compliments the carrier精东影业 direct flights from Australian city to London and Rome. 

The new year-round route will see Qantas operate to the French capital for the first time in nearly two decades, cutting around three hours off the current fastest travel time from Perth to Paris. 

From July 12, 2024, the 17-hour Perth-Paris flights will initially operate four days per week (during the peak European summer) with the airline精东影业 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Services will then move to three per week from mid-August 2024. 

The launch of the new route comes just in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e the only airline offering these direct flights rather than going through a mid-point because the key market we serve is Australia. Our in-flight service is designed with long-haul travel in mind,鈥� Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said. 

Hudson added: 鈥淭he schedule we鈥檝e announced today will add more than 75,000 seats between Australia and Europe each year and we鈥檒l be working with to help make the most of the opportunity to bring tourists here, knowing that direct flights are a big factor in people deciding where to travel.鈥� 

The Shanghai flights will initially operate five days per week with an Airbus A330 aircraft, adding more than 2,500 seats per week between Australia and China, and growing to over 4,000 seats per week when services increase to daily in late March 2024. 

鈥淎dding Shanghai back on our network map is great news for our customers, especially those travelling for business or visiting friends and relatives in China as well as providing critical additional air freight between the two countries. The business travel market is a key focus for this route, and we expect the recent trade developments will drive more travel between Australia and China,鈥� Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said. 

Wallace added: 鈥淭he business travel market is a key focus for this route, and we expect the recent trade developments will drive more travel between Australia and China. While demand from Chinese visitors wanting to travel to Australia is below the record levels that we saw prior to the pandemic, demand has been steadily climbing since borders reopened.鈥� 

Qantas also operates flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Hong Kong. 

Two killed after Socata TB Trinidad crashes into mountainous area in Australia

• Aircraft
• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2023-10-29

Eamonn and Karen Gilmore of Perth, Western Australia, booked return business class flights from Perth International Airport (PER) to London精东影业 Heathrow Airport (LHR) after a death in the family.

Emirates then offered the Gilmores the option to upgrade their tickets to first class for an additional $4,800. They decided to treat themselves and took up the offer.

However, the couple精东影业 less-than-luxurious ordeal began when they boarded the airline精东影业 flagship Airbus A380 aircraft.

First, Eamonn told local media that his entertainment system was not working, so he used his personal tablet instead. 

And then, Karen精东影业 seat became stuck during the flight. 

鈥淪he was lying in her seat and she couldn鈥檛 get the seat to come up. The buttons wouldn鈥檛 work,鈥� Eamonn said.

The crew eventually had to force the seat to a sitting position. However, the seat would not recline and could not be changed to any other setting at all, meaning that Karen had to remain in an upright seated position for the entire first leg of their journey, which was from PER airport to Dubai International Airport (DXB), a flight time of approximately 11 hours.

When the Gilmores arrived in London, they contacted Emirates to report the unsatisfactory flight experience. They were told by the airline to put their feedback in writing. 

According to the Gilmores, they requested a refund on part of their $4,800 upgrade to first class because it was only the first leg (PER Airport to DXB Airport) that had faulty products and services. The refund amount requested is approximately $2,600.

鈥淭his may as well have been an economy flight we went on and we paid thousands upon thousands,鈥� Eamonn told News.com.au, adding that even without the upgrade to first class, they would expect the in-flight entertainment system and lie-flat / reclining seats on the original business class tickets.

Emirates replied to the Gilmores weeks later, offering them 100,000 SkyMiles each as a 鈥済esture of goodwill and in consideration鈥� of their inconvenience.

Eamonn told News.com.au that he was 鈥渄isgusted鈥� that they had to wait so long for a response and the airline精东影业 refusal to refund them in cash.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want the 100,000 Skywards points because we鈥檙e not going to fly with Emirates ever again. Not the way we鈥檝e been treated,鈥� Eamonn said. 

He said that he is considering legal action.

Emirates remains one of the best airlines offering First, Business Class and now Premium Economy in their cabins. 

Passengers are enticed by the airline精东影业 spacious lie-flat seats, onboard showers and mini bars, and all the luxurious add-ons that make flying such a premium experience.

However, not all passengers are impressed. 

In May 2023, a passenger took the Dubai-based airline to court over what was described as 鈥渄isgusting鈥� business class seats. Emirates was accused of false advertising, showing a more premium product on ads and the passenger receiving less than what the ads portrayed.

In March 2023, Emirates was ordered to pay $8,440 to a passenger who flew business class from New Zealand to the UK. The passenger also had a disappointing experience of 鈥榬eality vs expectation鈥� when his actual flight bore no resemblance to the dazzling ads that lured him to purchase the business class ticket.

Passenger to take Emirates to court over ‘disgusting’ business class seats

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-05-23

Flight QF1608 flew for just 50 minutes before the Fokker 100 aircraft registered VH-NHP was forced to return, landing safely back in Perth at about 16:40 local time on January 24, 2023.

Image source: Flightradar24

This marks the seventh incident in a week-long series of turned back flights for the Australian flag carrier.

Qantas flight incidents for January 2023

From January 18, 2023 to January 24, 2023, Qantas has had seven consecutive flight incidents:

January 18, 2023 鈥� QF 144 was bound for Sydney from Auckland when flight crew issued a mayday distress signal over the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft landed without further incidents.

January 19, 2023 鈥� QF 101 was flying to Nadi, Fiji when it was forced to turn back to Sydney as a 鈥減recaution鈥� after pilots received a warning about a potential mechanical issue. 

January 20, 2023 

QF 430 departed Melbourne and was bound for Sydney, but the Boeing 737 aircraft was forced to circle back 锘縜fter the pilots received an indication of a minor engine issue shortly after takeoff. 

QF 1516 departed Melbourne, and was headed to Canberra, when the Boeing 717 aircraft experienced issues with its flaps and was also forced to turn back to Melbourne Airport.

January 22, 2023 鈥� QF102 was bound for Sydney when it was forced to turn back mid-flight as a precaution after pilots received a report of fumes in the cabin.

January 23, 2023 – QF887 was en route to Perth Airport (PER) from Adelaide International Airport (ADL) when the aircraft, an Airbus A330, was forced to turn back 45 minutes into the flight due to incomplete paperwork.

January 24, 2023 – QF 1608 was bound for Kalgoorlie when the Fokker 100 aircraft had to return to Perth due to minor mechanical issues.

鈥淣o issues at Qantas鈥�

Despite mounting concerns about Qantas鈥� safety and aircraft age due to the string of incidents, the airline assured that there are 鈥渘o issues.鈥�

In an interview with Sydney radio news and talk show 2GB on January 23, 2023,  Qantas domestic and international CEO Andrew David said that 鈥渢here are absolutely no issues with Qantas鈥�, saying that the airline averages about 60 turnbacks per year, noting that the global aviation industry would average about 10,000 diversions or air turn backs annually.

David also said that the aircraft involved in Qantas鈥� turnback incidents were all below 20 years. 

鈥嬧�嬧�淭hose particular aircraft are all within, well, within the 20 years that we would normally start retiring aircrafts. We do have a new aircraft coming every month this year,鈥� David said.

Sixth time in a week: Qantas flight turned back due to incomplete paperwork

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-01-24

Flight QF887 was en route to Perth Airport (PER) from Adelaide International Airport (ADL) when the aircraft, an Airbus A330, was forced to turn back 45 minutes into the flight. 

The flight was approaching Nullarbor, near the Western Australian border when it was discovered that the correct paperwork had not been finalized. The aircraft circled back over the Great Australian Bight, landing back in Adelaide without issues at 18:50 local time.

A passenger who was on the flight posted an update on Twitter to say that the flight turned around due to 鈥渟ome compliance issue鈥�. 

QF887 eventually made it back to Perth four hours behind schedule. 

A Qantas spokespersonthere were no technical issues with the plane, and the delay was due to airline staff failing to complete paperwork correctly

“Once paperwork was finalized after engineering sign-off in Adelaide, the flight departed for Perth and landed four hours after the scheduled arrival time,” the spokesperson said.

Qantas incidents in January 2023

January 18, 2023 鈥� QF 144 was bound for Sydney from Auckland when flight crew issued a mayday distress signal over the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft landed without further incidents.

January 19, 2023 鈥� QF 101 was flying to Nadi, Fiji when it was forced to turn back to Sydney as a 鈥減recaution鈥� after pilots received a warning about a potential mechanical issue. 

January 20, 2023 

QF 430 departed Melbourne and was bound for Sydney, but the Boeing 737 aircraft was forced to circle back 锘縜fter the pilots received an indication of a minor engine issue shortly after takeoff. 

QF 1516 departed Melbourne, and was headed to Canberra, when the Boeing 717 aircraft experienced issues with its flaps and was also forced to turn back to Melbourne Airport.

January 22, 2023 – QF102 was bound for Sydney when it was forced to turn back mid-flight as a precaution after pilots received a report of fumes in the cabin.

No issues at Qantas

Despite a train of incidents that have plagued the airline over the past week, Qantas assured that 鈥渢here are absolutely no issues at Qantas鈥� during an interview with Sydney news and radio talk show 2GB. 

鈥淭he global aviation industry would average about 10,000 diversions or air turn backs per year. We average about 60 per year. Yes, we鈥檝e had four or five in the last week or so. But our pilots are trained always to err on the side of caution, and they will turn back if there are any issues at all,鈥� Andrew David, Qantas domestic and international CEO said in the interview.

Qantas flight turns back to Fiji, marking the airline精东影业 fifth incident in a week

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-01-23