The World of Aviation

Qantas has launched its new, most exclusive Qantas Frequent Flyer program level, ‘Platinum One’, which it says will “only be available for a select group of the airline’s most loyal customers”. Features of the new level include a ‘Platinum One Special Service Team’, which will “monitor, support and enhance [Platinum One member’s] travel experience; assistance

Virgin Australia’s first ATR 72 RPT flight departed Brisbane for Gladstone this morning, signaling the start of the airline’s new regional turboprop operations. Virgin Australia flight DJ 1711 departed Brisbane for Gladstone at 10.30am. The airline is using the 68-seat ATRs, which are operated by Skywest on Virgin Australia’s behalf, for the new twice daily Brisbane-Gladstone

Qantas has detailed plans to operate almost 400 fewer domestic flights – capacity equivalent to around 60,000 seats – over the next month as industrial action by its engineers takes effect on its backlog of maintenance work. Qantas says that the cumulative effect of industrial action by ALAEA members, including work stoppages, a ban on

Northrop Grumman’s X-47B UCAS demonstrator completed its first  flight in the cruise configuration with its undercarriage raised recently. The September 30 “flight gave us our first clean look at the aerodynamic cruise performance of the X-47B air system…and it is proving out all of our predictions,” said Janis Pamiljans, VP and Navy UCAS program manager

An Air France Airbus A321 has flown a scheduled flight between Toulouse and Paris/Orly which was able to cut CO2 emmissions in half due to a combination of “optimised” air traffic management (ATM) procedures including continuous descent approach, and the use of biofuels. Flight AF6129 used a 50:50 biofuel/jet fuel mix in both engines, which,

Jetstar has announced plans to recruit up to 100 pilots over the next 12 to 18 months to join its new Jetstar Japan operation. Jetstar says it will give “preference” to A320 rated crew for the new positions, as Jetstar Japan, which will begin operations in late 2012, plans to operate up to 24 A320s