In a joint press release, Transport Minister Catherine King and Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the anniversary, recognising the “ongoing heartache and grief” of those who lost loved ones and the “significant contributions” made to efforts to find the plane.
The jet (similar aircraft pictured) touched down this month in Perth as part of NJE’s fleet expansion program, which added a ninth De Havilland Dash 8-Q400 aircraft to the carrier’s stable in October, and comes as the charter operator begins E190 services between Perth and West Musgrave.
Lawrie on Friday served as first officer on board Virgin Australia flight VA313 from Melbourne to Brisbane, Virgin’s second annual all-female-operated flight for International Women’s Day, which took off as VA313 at 8:26am and landed at 9:13am (all times local).
The service, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to launch within 12 months and will permit small cats and dogs in selected rows on specific domestic routes. Pets must be in approved pet carriers stowed under the seat in front, and will not be allowed to roam freely or sit in laps.
The Rex subsidiary will fly Dash 8-400NG aircraft on its second route servicing the coal mining town in the state’s north, complementing its services between Moranbah and Brisbane, which had been its first Queensland route when it entered the state in July last year.
In an internal memo to Virgin staff obtained by Australian Aviation, outgoing CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline had made roughly $236 million in profit off the back of $2.8 billion in revenue in the six months to December 31, and had carried nearly 45 million passengers since it left administration.