Australian Aviation Podcast Network

Just when Qantas thought the saga of its frequent flyer hack might be over, a fresh headache has hit the Flying Kangaroo as online miscreants published the stolen data on the dark web. The airline is warning customers to beware of scammers, and says it is working with “specialist cyber security experts” to investigate exactly what data was leaked – but what does all this mean for the 5 million people caught up in the breach? Jake turns to David’s cyber expertise to find out what might be next for Qantas, and what you can do to protect yourself if you’re affected. Plus, a treat for all you military aviation aficionados out there as our defence and aerospace lead Steve Kuper joins us to talk new Army Apaches, Anduril’s answer to the Ghost Bat, and more.

While most of us can navigate airports without a second thought, those with disabilities can find it much more difficult – and people who have hidden disabilities like autism face their own unique challenges. As airports and airlines implement more accessibility measures for those with obvious needs like wheelchair users and the visually impaired, less is known on what to do for autistic travellers who can face severe sensory issues in the noisy, chaotic environment of an airport. Fortunately, the tide is starting to turn, with sunflower lanyards making hidden disabilities more visible, and policy changes allowing autistic people to use aids like noise-cancelling headphones to make their airport journeys easier. On this week’s Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake talks to Emma Beardsley and Dr Tom Tutton from Aspect Autism Friendly on what autistic people have to deal with at airports, and how not just staff but other travellers can support fellow passengers with a sunflower lanyard.

It’s finally here – the biggest change to Qantas’ domestic fleet in decades. The new A321XLR has joined the national carrier with its first commercial flight, and with 48 on order to replace the ageing 737-800s, it’s the most ambitious phase yet in the airline’s massive fleet renewal program. With a wider body, more fuel-efficient engines, and a slew of other changes, the A321XLR is a massive leap for the Flying Kangaroo – but does it live up to the hype, and what’s being done about the delicate issue of the toilets? On this week’s podcast, Jake has a full trip report of the inaugural flight of the Qantas A321XLR, and he and David discuss what it will do for the airline both domestically and internationally. Plus, Qantas looks to improve its battered reputation by making it a condition of CEO Vanessa Hudson’s bonuses: will it work, or is it just a PR stunt?

Spare a thought for anyone who’s tried to get to or from Europe this week – not only is a “super typhoon” wreaking havoc in Hong Kong, but a massive ransomware attack over the weekend crippled several major airports in Europe, including London’s Heathrow. Passengers were stranded, flights thrown into chaos, and scenes of long lines and pandemonium dominated the headlines – but never fear, for the Australian Aviation Podcast has just the expertise to break down what happened and who might be responsible. On this week’s podcast, Jake and David take a look back at the hack attack, how it unfolded, and what it might mean for Australian airports. Plus, three QantasLink bases could get the chop following a review – how might it impact both staff and regional travellers?

After almost 30 years in service, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is finally allowing its old Fokkers to retire with the arrival of the Embraer E190-E2, the first of which touched down from Brazil this month. With an improved range, a new cabin, and more efficient engines, the E2 might just be what Virgin’s regional arm needs to expand its operations across WA – and potentially even further east. On this week’s Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake is back to deliver his full trip report on the ferry flight from Canberra to Perth, and to look at where the new E-Jets could fit in to Virgin’s larger network… as well as to reveal his new co-host at the thrilling conclusion of the “Game of Thorns”! Plus, Sydney Airport unveils plans to link its two domestic terminals – could the T2/T3 “Franken-terminal” set it up to compete with its new western rival?

From joy-rides in a Mirage III fighter jet at age seven, to selling her home to help pay for flight lessons, to flying for Rex and eventually becoming one of the faces of Virgin Australia, Captain Michelle Huntington has had a truly astonishing journey. She’s flown solo in a Beechcraft Bonanza from Arizona to Bankstown, been struck by lightning in mid-air, battled unruly passengers, and stared down industry sexism – but through it all, never lost her sense of adventure. After leaving the industry during the height of COVID-19, Michelle has taken to the speaking circuit to share the lessons she’s learned, many of which also feature in her new book Lady MacGyver: Unbelievable stories with altitude. On this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake sits down with Michelle to talk about her career, her book, whether there’s life after the sky – and how to keep your internal organs in their proper place at 30,000 feet.

The sound of investor presentations and ASX releases can only mean one thing: results season has come again, bringing joy and cheer to all the good shareholders of the land – especially those who’ve invested in airlines. Qantas has posted another bumper profit as it looks to snap up even more A321XLRs, Virgin Australia has celebrated its 25th anniversary with a healthy result, Alliance is flying more hours than ever, and across the Tasman, even Air New Zealand is still in the black despite its many headaches. Jake and guest host Benjamin Foster unpack all the major airlines’ results and take a look ahead to the prospects for 2026. Plus, it’s the end of the line for Gold Coast Airport’s light rail – what might replace the controversial project as the Olympics draw ever closer?

As it recovers from massive fines and reputational headaches, Qantas has a new hairy problem to deal with over its move to make QantasLink flight crews adopt the same grooming standards as mainline Qantas and Jetstar pilots: namely, no beards allowed. Qantas insists this is for safety reasons, with a report saying facial hair can interfere with oxygen masks – but hirsute Qantas pilots are crying “not by the hair on our chinny-chin-chins,” and pointing to studies showing beards shave hardly anything off the safety margin. So, who’s right? Jake is joined by special guest host and fellow facial hair enthusiast Keith Ford of the ifa and SMSF Adviser podcasts to look at the arguments for and against the beard ban, and to take a brave stand against pogonophobia. Plus, a bunfight erupts over government frequent-flyer perks, and Koala Airlines responds to our challenge – were we wrong about the scrappy start-up?

It’s the largest corporate fine for industrial relations breaches in Australian history: a mammoth $90 million, handed down to Qantas for the illegal outsourcing of around 1,800 ground workers during the pandemic – on top of $120 million already imposed in compensation. At 75 per cent of the maximum penalty, it will doubtless put the fear of God (and the unions) into other large companies who might be considering similar moves, and the national carrier has offered an apology – but is it really sorry, or, as Justice Michael Lee speculated, only sorry it got caught? Jake and special guest host Emilie Lauer of Smart Property Investment unpack the ramifications of the fine and ask whether a leopard ... or a Flying Kangaroo ... really can change its spots. Plus, between ageing planes, razor-thin margins and soaring airfares, what can be done about the ongoing travails of regional aviation?

The latest episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast spotlights two finalists in the 2025 Australian Aviation Awards, with host Steve Kuper joined by Daniel Wang, head of programs for ATC and air defence at Rohde & Schwarz, and Rodney Sciortino, head of civil air traffic control. Together, they explore how the global technology company is delivering cutting-edge solutions across both the defence and civil aviation sectors, from deployable ATC towers to AI-driven technologies, cyber security safeguards, and the growing role of drones in airspace management. One of the standout capabilities they discuss is the transportable air operations tower (TAOT), a mobile system supporting both the Australian Defence Force and civilian organisations. The TAOT provides critical flexibility for operations in austere environments, disaster relief zones, and even during major events like the Avalon Airshow. As Wang says, the system allows the ADF to project air power and sustain operations from remote airfields, while Sciortino highlights its civil applications, from ensuring continuity after natural disasters to supporting firefighting aircraft and temporary tower upgrades. The trio also discuss Wang and Sciortino's journey to Rohde & Schwarz, and how the company's blend of global innovation, local experience, and cross-sector expertise is helping shape the future of air traffic management in Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific. Enjoy the Podcast, The Australian Aviation Team

It’s been five years since a Tigerair plane last graced Australia’s skies – and the aviation ecosystem is still coping with Tigerair’s extinction. That’s according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which has found that domestic capacity has still not recovered to June 2019 levels though demand is now back where it was before the pandemic, as the loss of Tigerair created a hole of around 400,000 monthly seats made worse by later reductions from Rex. Jake Nelson and guest host Daniel Croft of Cyber Daily take a look at the ACCC’s report and ask who – if anyone – could fill the gap Tigerair left behind. Plus, how can we solve the growing mental health crisis in general aviation?

After 30 years criss-crossing regional Queensland, it’s the end of the road for Skytrans – not for the airline itself, which will keep flying, but for the name. New owner Avia Solutions Group is rebranding the carrier as SmartLynx Australia, echoing some of its other brands overseas. Along with the name change will come a new paint job for the airline’s existing aircraft, with the Skytrans livery to be covered in neutral white, allowing the planes to be more easily used for wet leasing and charter flights when needed – but for Queenslanders who know and love the Skytrans brand, will the change prove a turn-off? Jake and guest host David Hollingworth examine the pros and cons of the change, and whether all-white planes are an appealing prospect for passengers. Plus, scrappy upstart Koala Airlines is back in the news – but does its ambition of launching domestic services by the end of next year hold much water?

It’s the bombshell the aviation industry never saw coming, one that has shaken the sector to its core: after five and a half years at Australian Aviation, renowned luminary and thought leader Adam Thorn is leaving Momentum Media. Over the course of his tenure, Adam has seen COVID-19 shutdowns, travel chaos, and the collapse of multiple Australian airlines – and while he’ll still be leading the print magazine, in many ways it’s the end of an era, a seismic shift rivalling even the exit of Alan Joyce from Qantas in 2023. Co-hosts Jake Nelson and Benjamin Foster join Adam to reflect on half a decade at the helm of Australian Aviation and what comes next. Plus, the Ansett brand has been resurrected – but is an “AI-powered” travel booking site really the best use for it?

They’ve become an indispensable part of our modern digital lives, but airlines are increasingly wary of portable lithium batteries and power banks, which can have an alarming tendency to catch fire if damaged or short-circuited. Though power banks are already required to be carried in cabin luggage to ensure easy access if something goes wrong, some carriers have gone further, banning their use and charging entirely during flights – and Virgin Australia may be next, after a bag burst into flames in an overhead locker on a flight to Hobart. As in-seat charging ports become more common, Adam and Jake plug in to the issue and ask: is banning in-flight power bank use a reasonable safety step or an overreaction? Plus, regional airports are becoming international gateways as travellers and airlines look to bypass the big city hubs, and how can we bring the “glamour” back to aviation careers?

Sydney Airport has a new slot manager, one with no ties to the big domestic airlines … and yet, Qantas Group has still nabbed the majority of available take-off and landing slots over the end-of-year peak, with Virgin a distant second. With 52 per cent of the slots allocated to Qantas and Jetstar, the Flying Kangaroo’s dominance at Sydney continues – but might this put to bed the idea that the old slot manager was too cosy with the major airlines? Adam and Jake dig into the data and ask whether the great Sydney slot debate will ever go away. Plus, what went wrong in a disastrous Melbourne drone show two years ago that saw 427 drones plummet into the Yarra?

It’s been just over a week since Qantas suffered a major data breach, with cyber criminals stealing a trove of customer data from a call centre including names, email addresses and frequent flyer numbers. The reputational shellacking is one the Flying Kangaroo certainly didn’t need, but has the backlash been fair, and what has Qantas been doing to protect customers in the wake of the attack? Adam and Jake are joined by special guest David Hollingworth from Cyber Daily to discuss the impact and aftermath of the hack, and how you can protect your data. Plus, Huey Award laureate Hinterland Aviation is up for sale – who might snap up the much-loved regional carrier?

After a long wait and a marathon ferry flight from Hamburg, Qantas’ first A321XLR, VH-OGA, has finally touched down in Australia, a significant step in the Flying Kangaroo’s “Project Winton” fleet renewal. It’s the beginning of the end for Qantas’ ageing 737-800 fleet, even as the airline looks to acquire a few more “mid-life” 737s to tide it over as it waits – and with a range of 8,700km, compared to around 5,000km on the 737-800, might the A321XLR fleet fly internationally as well as domestically? Adam and Jake discuss the latest on Qantas’ fleet changes, including plans to replace QantasLink’s Fokker 100s with Embraer E190s, and what the A321XLR might do for the national carrier beyond Australia’s shores. Plus, a “rain bomb” blows a massive hole in Sydney Airport’s schedule – is the new two-hour recovery period enough to mitigate the disruptive effects of wild weather?

It was a day five years in the making for Virgin Australia, and it went off without a hitch: Australia’s second-largest airline group is finally back on the ASX, with CEO Dave Emerson ringing the bell for its IPO on Tuesday. The relisting caps off a remarkable turnaround for Virgin Australia after it collapsed into administration in 2020 during COVID-19 – but now that the long road back to public trading is over, what’s next for the carrier? Adam and Jake discuss how Virgin got back on its feet, how it’s changed its business model, and where its future might take it. Plus, with tensions in the Middle East playing havoc with flights through the region, should airlines be looking at more connecting hubs between Australia and Europe?

Almost 40 years after its rebranding as Australian Airlines – and just over 30 years after its merger with Qantas – a consortium is planning to bring back Trans Australia Airlines, or TAA, with an ambitious plan that would see Rex become the resurrected airline’s regional arm. While Rex’s administrator has knocked back Renaissance Partners’ dark-horse bid a second time, the firm is not yet giving up on its goal of turning Darwin into a hub for incoming flights from Australia’s north – but could it actually work? Adam and Jake discuss the plan for the new TAA, what it might do for passengers, and whether it could avoid Australia’s ever-growing airline graveyard. Plus, Virgin’s IPO finally hits the runway next week, big milestones at Western Sydney International Airport, and why the Air India crash doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the Dreamliner.

With co-host Jake Nelson off sick, Australian Aviation has had to improvise for this week’s podcast. But what a treat we have for you. Two weeks ago, Australian Aviation’s sister brand, Space Connect, hosted its Australian Space Summit & Exhibition, otherwise known as AusSpace 25. In our best panel, regular host Adam Thorn moderated a panel with three Australian astronauts, with the questions asked by schoolchildren. Paul Scully-Power was Australia’s first-ever astronaut, who went to space in 1984. Eric Philips blasted off to space on a private SpaceX mission in April, while Katherine Bennell-Pegg was the first astronaut to formally qualify under the Australian flag.