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Robyn Ironside is The Australian’s aviation writer, and has twice been recognised by the Australasian Aviation Press Club (in 2020 and 2023) as the best aviation journalist. She has been with The Australian since 2018, and covered aviation for News Corp since 2014 after previously reporting on Queensland state politics and crime with The Courier-Mail.

@ironsider

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PLEA TO OPEN UPAviation

28/02/2021: Virgin customer service agent Michaela Curtis helps passengers as they disembark their flight from Sydney, at The Sunshine Coast Airport, Marcoola, Sunshine Coast. The airport is one of several around the country riding a wave of COVID success, with passenger traffic already back to pre-COVID levels thanks to a string of new routes to the tourist hotspot. . Lyndon Mechielsen/ The Australian

Airlines urge states to keep borders open

Airlines are anticipating an announcement of financial assistance beyond JobKeeper but say open borders would help the most.

Robyn Ironside

AviationAviation

Where have all the A380s gone?

Fewer than 10 of the 246 Airbus A380 superjumbos built are still flying. What happened to the others? Will they ever return?

Robyn Ironside

TRAVELAviation

ESCAPE: Australian skiing. Jennifer Ennion story. AUST SKI STORY - Thredbo skiing. Thredbo has some of the steepest runs in Australia. Credit: Thre

Brisbane direct flights to ski fields from $239

There will soon be five flights a week from Brisbane to southern ski field towns with Qantas expecting a bumper season.

Robyn Ironside

CASE DROPPEDAviation

Pilot in clear over aircraft sabotage

Man accused of aircraft tampering has his case thrown out of court because of insufficient evidence.

Robyn Ironside

AviationAviation

An Airbus SE A330-300 aircraft operated by Qantas Airways Ltd., top, approaches to land as aircraft operated by Qantas's low-cost unit Jetstar Airways, left, and Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd. stand on the tarmac at Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. Qantas reports first-half results on Feb. 22 and has said profit may rise as much as 12 percent. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg

Qantas tries to block former staff move to Virgin

Qantas is going to court to try to stop a former executive from starting work with Virgin Australia in May.

Robyn Ironside

aviationAviation

Australian Transport Safety Bureau officers inspect the wing of a Flight Training Adelaide Socata TB-10 aircraft at Parafield Airport, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. The aircraft made an emergency landing after reportedly hitting a drone. (AAP Image/Brenton Edwards)

Flight schools on the brink

Amid international border closures and withering demand for pilots, flight schools that haven’t already collapsed are struggling to survive.

Robyn Ironside

Nation

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - MARCH 2, 2021. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks as she formally opens the Asia-Pacific headquarters of architectural design firm Populous. The firm is renowned for designing Olympic venues around the world. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Open borders ‘more essential to tourism’

Annastacia Palaszczuk says the extension to the international border closure means JobKeeper must be continued.

Robyn Ironside and Charlie Peel

AVIATIONAviation

Qantas has today announced the latest in its series of highly popular concept flights to combat the border blues, with plans to operate three domestic mystery flights for travellers keen to enjoy a unique travel experiences in Australia while international borders remain closed., , , , The national carrier last operated mystery flights in the 1990s where travellers would turn up at the airport and be allocated seats on a scheduled flight to any of the airline’s destinations where they spent a day at their leisure before flying home. Picture: Handout via NCA NewsWire

Qantas mystery flights sell out in 15 minutes

Qantas’s relaunch of ‘mystery flights’ has been a big hit with the three services to surprise destinations selling out in a flash.

Robyn Ironside

AviationAviation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos November 30, 2020: Qantas Aircraft on the tarmac at Sydney Airport. Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Qantas says more jobs may be cut

Qantas has warned more jobs could join the thousands it’s already cut if borders remain closed for an extended period.

Robyn Ironside

AviationAviation

ULURU, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 10: Passengers onboard a Qantas flight number QF787, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft as it flies close to Uluru in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territories on October 10, 2020 in Uluru, Australia. With international and domestic border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic putting a halt on travel, the Qantas Great Southern Land Scenic flight will take 150 passengers on an aerial tour over iconic Australian destinations. The seven-hour scenic flight on board a Qantas 787 Dreamliner aircraft - usually used for long haul international flights - will perform a loop from Sydney up to locations along the New South Wales and Queensland coasts as well as Uluru in the Northern Territory before landing back in Sydney. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

Qantas to revive ‘mystery flights’

Qantas is returning to the 1990s by dusting off its mystery flight concept to stimulate travel. But there’ll be a few differences.

Robyn Ironside

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/robyn-ironside/page/175