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Ayesha de Kretser

This Month

Katharina Ruckstuhl.

Trump crackdown forces academics to cancel US trips

University researchers are rewriting their travel plans over arrests and rejections at the US border.

Kelsian is selling its K’gari assets as it looks to more defensive assets.

Captain Cook Cruises, SeaLink on the market in Kelsian review

The company is one of the country’s largest tourism and transport operators. It says it is considering selling some of its businesses to pay down debts.

Virgin Australia aircraft in Sydney. The company hopes to be listed on the ASX by June.

Virgin plans June listing as it restructures into a public company

The Bain Capital-controlled airline’s executives have begun weeks of meeting with prospective investors in a roadshow that is billed as a business update.

March

Advertising executive and Qantas board director Todd Sampson.

Advertising expert Todd Sampson resigns from Qantas board

The airline has appointed former HP chief executive Dion Weisler in his place, meaning five of seven directors have been installed in the last three years.

A Virgin Australia Boeing 737 in Sydney. The airline is hoping to re-list on the ASX.

Virgin kicks off IPO process, hires investor relations team

Bain Capital is preparing the way for the airline to return to the ASX after five years, with the carrier’s management meeting prospective investors on Tuesday.

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Virgin and Qatar have cleared the final hurdle to take off on new flights in June.

ACCC greenlights Virgin-Qatar deal, frequent flyer partners cut back

The competition watchdog has approved the tie-up, but questions remain over whether consumers have been dudded by the exclusivity clause.

Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson has lunch with the AFR’s Ayesha de Kretser at the Airbus factory in Hamburg, Germany.

Why Vanessa Hudson’s kids didn’t want her to be Qantas CEO

The airline boss opens up about career timing, why it’s OK to be wrong, and why the timetable for fleet renewal is fine, thank you very much.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson.

Qantas says new planes will end battle for overhead luggage space

CEO Vanessa Hudson says aircraft due to be delivered in June will help improve the airline’s on-time performance and provide 60 per cent more overhead cabin bin space.

CEO of Airport Coordination Limited Neil Garwood.

Qantas and Virgin told to ‘use or lose’ their Sydney landing slots

The head of the company managing Australia’s biggest airport says the airlines are not using their allocated capacity at anywhere near the levels seen overseas.

Qantas’ integrated operations centre in Mascot tracks more than 5000 flights a week.

Inside Qantas’ nerve centre, where flight cancellations are decided

There are 160 employees in the airline’s operations hub, making thousands of decisions as they try to navigate more than 100,000 passengers a day.

Sick of flying old planes to Asia? Cathay ups ante with Aria Suites

The Hong Kong-based airline will fly daily from Sydney with its newly refurbished Boeing 777 featuring the newest business class product in the skies.

Amanda Johnstone is happy to be free of airline status. She’d rather just choose the cheapest fare.

Meet the frequent flyers breaking up with loyalty programs

Is elite status losing its shine? With Qantas’ flagship status credits promotion ending on Wednesday, more savvy travellers – particularly women – are turning their backs on loyalty.

Qantas and Virgin Australia are unlikely to engage in a price war.

Virgin Australia’s new CEO must navigate a narrow path to the ASX

Having locked in a bumper deal with Qatar Airways and landed on a successor to Jayne Hrdlicka, the airline has cleared the decks for another run at listing.

Singapore Airline’s A380 first class suite. The airline is expected to unveil its updated first class next year.

First class is back, baby (but does it make sense for airlines?)

The arrival of non-stop flights to London is a chance for Qantas to expand its premium suites. Its competitors are doing the same. Will it be a winner?

Westpac’s healthcare and professional services head of business banking Belinda Hegarty and ANZ commodity trader Siobhan Naylor.

This young commodity trader learnt from Macquarie’s $58m man

These two women are on their way up in the world of banking, in small part thanks to some pointed words of encouragement and extremely relevant advice.

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Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson at the Business Summit on Wednesday.

Qantas’ Vanessa Hudson says delaying fleet upgrade is paying dividends

The delivery of hi-tech aircraft such as ultra long-haul planes was helping grow profits and keeping travellers happy, according to the airline chief executive.

Newly announced Virgin CEO Dave Emerson.

With new CEO, Virgin clears big step to possible June float

Virgin’s appointment of Dave Emerson to replace Jayne Hrdlicka along with the final approval required for the Qatar Airways deal are final steps ahead of a public float.

Cyclone Alfred.

AFL postponed, cruises diverted as cyclone bears down

An ultra-rare tropical cyclone is zeroing in on heavily populated regions of Queensland and NSW, with threats of destructive winds and major flooding.

Qantas cracks $10, but how long will outsized profits last?

The airline had analysts racing to upgrade their long-term share price targets after a strong result last week pushed its stock above $10.

February

Chinese frigate Hengyang was spotted 150 nautical miles off the coast of Sydney on February 11.

Defence ignored airlines’ pleas over Chinese warship live-fire incident

The Department of Defence initially refused to provide airlines with the location of the Chinese flotilla so that they could avoid the area during live fire exercises.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/ayesha-de-kretser-p535y1