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Transport

Yesterday

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

Virgin board overhaul brings in Qatar executive, ex-Macquarie chairman

The airline has formally appointed Peter Warne – among others – as a director, two years after he was first announced, as it prepares to rejoin the ASX.

President Donald Trump steps out of a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)

Six things to know before buying an EV

Prices are falling across the market, with Tesla models up to $20,000 cheaper than two years ago, and BYD making strong inroads.

This Month

Both leaders have pledged to take control of the Port of Darwin from Chinese firm Landbridge.

Why Darwin Port struggles to excite potential buyers

Chinese firm Landbridge won an auction with 33 interested parties in 2015 for the tricky and political Port of Darwin. It was a very different time to now.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk speak to reporters as they sit in the Tesla Model S.

Tesla car sales in Australia plummet 53pc in March

A downturn in Tesla vehicle sales in Australia is mirroring the rest of the world, with the BYD brand making strong headway.

Jess Sier and Tony Davis on The Fin.

Has Elon Musk crashed Tesla out of the EV race?

This week on The Fin podcast, Jessica Sier and Tony Davis on Tesla’s challenges, the rise of BYD and whether a five-minute battery charge could be a game changer.

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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.

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.

Alibaba Group Holding and BMW AG will team up to produce AI for cars in China.

Alibaba teams up with BMW to develop AI for cars in China

BMW is building a new intelligent personal assistant with enhanced voice recognition and trip-planning features to be rolled out next year.

Swoop Aero founders Josh Tepper and Eric Peck (left) lost conrtol of Swoop last year.

High-profile drone delivery start-up Swoop’s assets sold

The deal means zero return for Swoop’s star-studded shareholder register.

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.

Airport officials care for the abandoned baby in 2020.

Crew knew what was afoot on Qatar strip search flight, court told

Five Australian women are appealing a court ruling against their claim for damages after they were strip searched at Doha airport in 2020.

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BYD founder Wang Chuanfu is a step closer to his long-held vision of homegrown Chinese technology conquering the global market.

Wang Chuanfu, the ‘humble’ BYD founder with a battery obsession

Chinese electric vehicle maker’s new five-minute charging system puts the disrupter one step closer to conquering global markets.

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.

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says the Italian car maker made record sales in 2024 and is in a strong position, although uncertainy remains about the effect of US tariffs - with 3,000 Lamborghini’s sold in the US in 2024.

Lamborghini boss: Roar is at our core, and even EVs won’t sound fake

The Italian carmaker has an 18-month waiting list as sales and profits hit a record, with its engine roar here to stay as luxury Chinese EV rivals step up.

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.

BYD is extending its lead over Tesla.

BYD shares soar to record high after breakthrough, as Tesla falters

The Chinese company’s new ultra-fast charging technology sent its stock price soaring, as investors bet on the electric vehicle maker’s growth.

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.

Mike Cannon-Brookes says he intends to fully offset the carbon emissions from his new private jet.

‘Don’t create a problem’: Advice for private jet owner Cannon-Brookes

Tech entrepreneur and clean energy evangelist Mike Cannon-Brookes has bought a private jet. Is it possible to travel in style and save the planet at the same time?

Tesla owners, Kate Shannon and Matt Lymbury with their children Lola 13, and Beatrice 12.

‘We’re not embarrassed’: Tesla owners shrug off Musk stigma

There’s no need for a sticker saying ‘I Bought This Before Elon Went Crazy’ on a Tesla for these owners, who think the car is wonderful.

Janus Electric chief executive Ian Campbell.

David Paradice, Ashok Jacob back electric truck hopeful’s ASX run

Janus Electric, run by former Citi banker Ian Campbell, is raising $10 million and heading for the local sharemarket through a backdoor listing.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/companies/transport