The World of Aviation

Continuing to press its assault on Qantas, Virgin Australia will move the majority of its trans-continental flights to internationally-configured A330 widebodies while offering passengers free meals, drinks and in-flight entertainment. The changes, due to take effect on September 26, will bring Virgin services in line with Qantas on the fast-growing Perth routes. Virgin, which had

Airservices Australia has begun construction of an en route radar in the Pilbara region of WA. The radar, at Paraburdoo, comes in response to  a significant increase in air traffic due to the mining sector, Airservices said. The radar will allow air traffic controllers to track aircraft down to the ground at Paraburdoo and will

Contract air services provider Draken International is buying eight ex RNZAF McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks and various other equipment and accessories from the NZ government. Draken will use the aircraft to support US Department of Defense training activities, providing realistic training and threat simulation. The contract with NZ includes over 20 spare engines and an

Virgin Australia will end its thrice weekly services from Brisbane to Hamilton, New Zealand, citing a lack of demand. The airline said its last flight on the route would be on October 27. Virgin began flying to Hamilton in 2009. “Despite our support and out positive relationship with Hamilton Airport over the past three years,

Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, becoming just the third airline to receive the long-delayed composite jet. The carrier received the aircraft on Tuesday (US time) in Seattle, and expected to fly it to Washington, DC before departing for the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The airline has said it initially

Qantas will resume flights to the Gold Coast with three times weekly services from Sydney beginning in late October. The airline said conditions were right for its return more than four years after it cancelled services to the Gold Coast, saying at the time that it was losing money on the flights. Budget subsidiary Jetstar