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Air travel

Yesterday

Delta and United Airlines planes in Vermont. The Trump administration’s border security policies have led to travellers staying clear of the US.

Trump travel fears put $100m of Flight Centre earnings at risk

Increased checks and border security measures have created the steepest drop in travellers from Australia into the United States since the pandemic.

This Month

A US Customs and Border Protection officer checks the passport and paperwork of a visitor at Los Angeles International Airport.

‘Uncertain times’: Australians rethink travel to Trump’s America

The number of Australians and others travelling to America has dropped steeply amid growing horror stories of people being subjected to extreme vetting at airports.

Virgin Australia aircraft in Sydney.

Virgin to pay 61,000 flyers refunds for overpricing

The airline mistakenly charged people too much when they tried to change their flight plans.

Meegan Marshall,Intrepid Travel’s first chief people and purpose officer, appointed two years ago.

Intrepid hands out week-long global holidays

The travel group’s growing workforce get a free trip a year and an extra week off so they can holiday on what would normally be company time.

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO Nick Rohrlach said the new benefits are designed to make travel more rewarding and seamless for Velocity members and give them more reason to fly Virgin Australia on their long haul international trips. “We know our members value great rewards when they fly and our expanded benefits on these new services to Doha deliver exactly that - more upgrade options, more perks, and a better travel experience,” Rohrlach said.

What the Virgin-Qatar deal means for your Velocity points

The winners and losers from new long-haul loyalty scheme arrangements are taking shape.

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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

What you need to know about the new fast track through US airports

For $190 and a security check, Australian travellers can get five-year access to the US Global Entry Program to cut processing times and queues at key airports.

Mid-air meetings in Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite centre seats.

Is this the mile-high club you really want to join?

New business class seats are making in-person meetings possible at 35,000 feet, but they’re not everyone’s idea of a great trip.

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.

An artist’s impression of a proposed above-ground station at Melbourne Airport.

Cost, time warning after PM vows Melbourne Airport rail a ‘done deal’

A three-way feud delaying Melbourne’s airport rail has been put to bed after the airport, state and federal governments signed a memorandum of understanding.

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.

Some of Australia’s holiday coast has been hit by bad weather.

What to do if you have a holiday booked to Queensland

Flights are back, but the roads are chaos. Here are your options for cancelling flights as the impact of ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred lingers.

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.

Sliding doors on a budget. China Eastern A350 business class.

This budget business class delivers bang for your buck where it counts

Although it might lack big brand-name products or cutting-edge tech, China Eastern may well offer the best-value business class flying out of Sydney.

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February

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ASX a sea of red; Star nears collapse; Profit season’s shock

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Know your craft: How the biggest airlines rate at the pointy end

Exactly which airline and aircraft type should you choose for a long-haul flight? This handy guide helps you shop around for that sweet spot in the air.

Jayne Hrdlicka says Virgin is ready to float when its owner, Bain Capital, chooses to do so.

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.

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New battle for skies; Has PM misled on live fire?; Joe Aston’s flying tips

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson has pulled off an impressive balancing act.

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.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/air-travel-5u7