Canberra holds firm on refusal to repatriate Australians from Syrian camps despite U.S. pressure
Perth scores aviation growth spurt as five airlines boost international links
Nationwide flight disruptions hit five major Australian airports as peak summer travel begins
Latest News
Qantas returns its final Airbus A380 to service after nearly six years in storage
On 5 December Qantas re-introduced its tenth and final Airbus A380 after an almost six-year lay-up. The fully refurbished super-jumbo will boost premium capacity on the Sydney–Dallas route from January, enhancing options for corporate travellers and freight shippers while marking a milestone in Qantas’ post-pandemic rebuild.
Delta Air Lines launches non-stop Los Angeles–Melbourne flights, intensifying trans-Pacific competition
Delta inaugurated thrice-weekly A350 flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne on 5 December, becoming the third carrier on the route and expanding SkyTeam choices for Australian corporates. Backed by state funding, the service boosts tourism, cargo capacity and competition on trans-Pacific premium travel.
Amendments to ESOS Act take effect, tightening oversight of providers to overseas students
Australia’s revamped ESOS Act is now in force, imposing tougher financial and compliance requirements on institutions that teach overseas students. The move is designed to protect Australia’s education brand and reduce visa fraud, but it may also constrain the volume of new providers and lengthen course-registration timelines.
Weekly visa-processing priority list updated under Ministerial Direction 115
A fresh Visa Prioritisation Status table published on 5 December shows which Australian education providers receive fast-tracked student-visa processing under Ministerial Direction 115. Priority tiers affect decision times and therefore graduate-talent pipelines for employers.