Yesterday
Qantas pays first dividend in six years after bumper profit
The airline also outlined plans to refurbish dozens of Boeing 737 aircraft as it grapples with high demand but a lack of new planes.
Hrdlicka says Virgin ‘ready’ for float after FIRB approves Qatar deal
But the Bain Capital-owned airline’s chief executive would not provide a timeline for her departure, putting a major roadblock in front of a run at the ASX.
Hybrid car sales save Eagers from investor ire despite profit fall
The country’s largest dealership reported a 25 per cent fall in profits, but pointed to surging demand for BYD, a Chinese carmaker it is in partnership with.
This is the big winner from Qantas and Virgin’s battle for the skies
Competition is going to rise following the approval of the alliance between Virgin and Qatar Airways. The big winner is already emerging.
City planners have a radical strategy to solve traffic problems
Tired of traffic? Relief is at hand, as city planners everywhere explore a bold way to solve the problem.
This Month
Heathrow slot manager beats Qantas and Virgin for Sydney control
UK-based Airport Coordination Limited will manage landing rights at Sydney Airport after wresting control from Australia’s major airlines.
ACCC gives the nod to Virgin’s Qatar-backed international flights
In a draft determination, the competition watchdog said the plan to resume long-haul services using leased planes would benefit travellers.
Delta plane flips on landing at Toronto airport
A jet has flipped upside down upon landing at Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board.
Honda reports higher profits as it ends merger talks with Nissan
The carmakers finalised their decision to abandon negotiations on a $US58 billion combination.
The lucrative business of airline loyalty schemes
As loyalty businesses become increasingly powerful profit centres for airlines, there are warnings that some have forgotten why they exist in the first place.
Unions aren’t the best head-hunters for who runs Virgin
When unions push too hard on leadership decisions, it doesn’t always end well. And perhaps it’s best governments stay out of the selection process too.
Virgin boss Jayne Hrdlicka tells her team she still plans to go
The Bain Capital-owned airline has also failed to appoint two high-profile former bankers to its board despite announcing they would join almost two years ago.
Virgin Australia capitulates under union pressure
Virgin Australia’s next chief executive has ruled himself out of the race before his anointment, telling Bain Capital he no longer wants the top job.
Virgin rules out CEO frontrunner after Labor criticisms
Paul Jones was shaping up as the likely replacement for Jayne Hrdlicka. Not everyone was happy to hear he was heading for the top job.
Virgin has the ear of ‘The Points Whisperer’
Flight concierge Steve Hui may not have a business relationship with Velocity, but he has a personal one.
EVs can’t shake sceptical motorists despite steep price falls
Electric vehicles are at their lowest proportion of new cars sales in more than two years as buyers show growing concerns about resale values and repairs.
Labor puts Virgin on notice about its next chief executive
Employment Minister Murray Watt’s pointed reference to Jayne Hrdlicka’s likely successor came as the airline awaits approval for a tie-up with Qatar Airways.
Cass-Gottlieb still gets Qantas VIP treatment
Qantas’ perks system is as hard to quit as the mob, it seems.
Airport spending doubles to $30 billion. The catch? Higher fares
The Productivity Commission says light touch regulation saves consumers’ hip pockets. But airlines worry that they, and passengers, will foot an epic bill.
January
Feds must empower states to collect road user charges
At the heart of the issue is a question of how one implements a road user charge on electric vehicles, not whether one should exist.
Tesla commits to building a cheaper car as results disappoint
Tesla said it was on track to roll out new, cheaper electric vehicle models in the first half of 2025, helping to offset disappointment over its latest results.
UK to subsidise buyers’ EV loans to boost sales
The Starmer government could underwrite private sector loans to reduce monthly repayments and purchase costs.
See inside new ‘Concorde’ before its first supersonic flight
Boom’s jet will be flying in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager became the first person to exceed the speed of sound in 1947
Stalled EV tax threatens budget black hole
Officials designing a replacement tax to accommodate a rise in electric cars say the process has stalled. Dealers are also worried about new emissions rules.