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The low-cost carrier is flying A320neos and A321neos from the Malaysian capital alongside AirAsia X’s A330 flights, doubling the group’s Kuala Lumpur–Perth services from seven to 14 per week. The first AK604 service from KL touched down in Perth just after 7:34pm on Monday aboard the A321neo 9M-VAA.
The 787-9 service will be put on hold from 31 March to 25 October due to what Air New Zealand describes as “ongoing challenges with the availability of serviceable Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines” that power its Dreamliner fleet.
The plane, CC-BGG, was operating flight LA800 from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland on Monday when it experienced a sudden drop over the Tasman Sea around two hours after take-off, causing unrestrained passengers and crew to be violently thrown around the cabin.
The funding was announced during International Women’s Day and Women of Aviation Week celebrations this month as part of the government’s Women in the Aviation Industry Initiative, with a further $2.9 million still available under the initiative until June 2026.
The agreement will allow Rex domestic passengers to connect onto international flights operated by Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and vice versa, though stops short of a full codeshare deal. Etihad is now selling Rex domestic flights on its website, through travel agencies, and through online booking sites.
In an internal memo seen by Australian Aviation, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines executive general manager Nathan Miller said the company is considering Airbus A220-100s or Embraer E190-E2s to replace the airline’s four remaining Fokker 100s, which have an average age of around 30 years.
