Australia

It extends the recently announced three-year arrangement, as part of the new Free Trade Agreement between Australia and China (ChAFTA), with the initiative expected to boost repeat visits from Chinese travellers.

Regional Express (Rex) has announced the introduction increased flights between Cairns and Townsville from July.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has signalled it may block Qantas Airways’ proposed joint venture with China Eastern.

London has overtaken Bangkok as the number one tourist destination in the world, according to a recent report by Skift.

Under the revised air services agreement, both countries’ carriers will immediately be able to operate 26,500 seats a week between Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to the major gateway cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – an increase of 18 percent on the routes.

The Australian airline has finally retired all of its Boeing 767 aircraft following special flight QF767 from Melbourne to Sydney.

QantasLink has announced it will start flying to Whyalla next year, on South Australia’s Spencer Gulf coast commencing April 13, 2015.

Regional Express (Rex), the Australian airline have received their Area Air Operator’s Certificate (AAOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

The airline will operate the route from March next year and has linked it with the announcement of the new Darwin – Alice Springs route which was announced last month.

Qantas and China Eastern have announced a five year agreement anticipated to commence in mid-2015.

Qantas’ will begin to offer a broader range of in-flight entertainment, following partnership deals with Sky News, Foxtel, and Fox Sports.