The new way to fly out of Australia
This month, the total number of passenger seats on offer from regional airports (on a weekly basis) rose from 18,887 a year ago to 20,145. It's a rise of 6 per cent in the winter school holiday travel months, according to aviation analytics company Cirium, as more flights to New Zealand, Bali and the South Pacific drive up the traffic.
'Australians remain keen to head overseas despite cost-of-living pressures, with travel now firmly embedded in household budgets,' Australian Airports Association chief Simon Westaway said.
The move towards regional departures for international flights to Asia, New Zealand and the South Pacific is driven by frustration with crowded metro hubs, rising demand for overseas travel and the availability of services on smaller commercial aircraft that can fly longer distances.
'Population growth and rising demand are making regional centres more attractive for international services,' said Westaway.
Westaway said that the advances in aircraft technology 'are allowing airlines to fly longer distances with smaller planes'. 'This makes it more viable to launch international routes from regional airports, provided the right infrastructure is in place.'
Loading
Qantas budget arm Jetstar is flying the narrow body Airbus 321LR (standing for long range), capable of flying 7400 kilometres, which means it can be used on domestic and international routes.
Qantas' newly delivered 321XLR narrow body has a range of 8700 kilometres.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


SBS Australia
3 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Confirmed: YouTube included in Australia's teen social media ban despite legal threats
The government has announced after months of speculation, it will include YouTube in its looming social media ban for children, risking a potentially bitter legal battle with Google. The online video service will be classified as an "age-restricted social media platform" under the legislation, alongside Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok and X. The platforms will face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they fail to block sign-ups and active accounts belonging to users under-16 from December 10. SBS News understands the restrictions placed on YouTube will allow the YouTube Kids platform to operate, and minors are also permitted to watch videos on the website in a logged-out state or under parental supervision. But under-16s will not be allowed to have active YouTube accounts or subscribe to YouTube channels. "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children," Communications Minister Annika Wells said. "There is no one perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online – but the social media minimum age will make a significantly positive difference to their wellbeing." The decision to add YouTube to the list of impacted services follows advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Online gaming platforms, messaging services like WhatsApp, health and education services will be spared. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision was a signal "we stand on the side of families." "Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I'm calling time on it," he said. In the hours before the decision was made public Google (YouTube's parent company) ramped up its lobbying efforts, with an elaborate event staged in Parliament House on Wednesday afternoon. This week Google wrote to the Communications Minister, asking her "to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians." "YouTube is a video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians," a YouTube spokesperson said on Sunday. Inman Grant in June rejected claims the decision would impact educators and schools. "There is nothing in the legislation that prevents educators with their own accounts from continuing to incorporate school-approved educational content on YouTube or any other service just as they do now," she told the National Press Club.

News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
YouTube to be captured by social media ban
YouTube will be captured by Labor's world-leading social media ban for under 16s, the Albanese government has confirmed. The videostreaming giant was initially set to be exempt, with the Albanese government arguing it could be educational. But the online safety watchdog has since advised YouTube should be included, warning it causes the most harm to kids. 'Our government is making it clear – we stand on the side of families,' Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement with Communications Minister Anika Wells. 'Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I'm calling time on it. 'Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.' Echoing the Prime Minister, Ms Wells said it would give 'kids a reprieve from the persuasive and pervasive pull of social media while giving parents peace of mind'. 'We want kids to know who they are before platforms assume who they are,' she said. 'There is no one perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online – but the social media minimum age will make a significantly positive difference to their wellbeing. 'The rules are not a set and forget, they are a set and support.' Last month, the brains tasked with finding a way to enforce the ban said it is possible but that there is no 'silver bullet' and firms would need to use a range of measures. One option, according to the project's chief, is successive validation – a series of tests designed to firm up a user's age. With the advice saying enforcement is possible, Ms Wells noted in the joint statement that there are 'heavy penalties for companies who fail to take reasonable steps to prevent underage account holders onto their services'. Those penalties include a fine of up to $49.5m. 'There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children,' Ms Wells said. The decision to include YouTube in the ban comes after eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant warned kids were using YouTube more than any other social media platform. 'It's almost ubiquitous that kids are on social media,' she said last month, speaking to the ABC. 'By far the most prevalent social media site they're on is YouTube. 'And when we asked where they were experiencing harm and the kinds of harms they were experiencing, the most prevalent place where young Australians experienced harm was on YouTube – almost 37 per cent. 'This ranges from misogynistic content to hateful material, to violent fighting videos, online challenges, disordered eating, suicidal ideation.' The decision to include YouTube in the ban comes after eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant warned kids were using YouTube more than any other social media platform. 'It's almost ubiquitous that kids are on social media,' she said last month, speaking to the ABC. 'By far the most prevalent social media site they're on is YouTube. 'And when we asked where they were experiencing harm and the kinds of harms they were experiencing, the most prevalent place where young Australians experienced harm was on YouTube – almost 37 per cent. 'This ranges from misogynistic content to hateful material, to violent fighting videos, online challenges, disordered eating, suicidal ideation.' The Coalition also called for YouTube's inclusion, with opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh saying it is 'a logical thing to do'. The social media ban is set to come into force in December. While other countries have mulled similar actions, Australia is the first to make the leap, receiving both praise and criticism.

9 News
4 hours ago
- 9 News
YouTube will not be exempt from under-16 social media ban
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The Google-owned platform lobbied for the government to make it exempt from the ban, claiming it is a "video streaming platform" and not a social media platform. However Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced YouTube will be captured in the landmark legislation alongside other age-restricted platforms Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X. The Google-owned video streaming platform lobbied for the government to make it exempt from the landmark ban. (Getty) Other online services which don't fall under the ban will include online gaming, messaging apps, health and education services. These services are excluded in the ban because the government said they pose fewer harms to children under 16 or are subject to different laws. Social media platforms listed in the legislation will be subject to the ban from December 10 this year. The social media giants face fines of up to $49.5 million if they "fail to take responsible steps to prevent underage account holders onto their services". "Our government is making it clear – we stand on the side of families," Albanese said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the list of platforms captured in the legislation. (Alex Ellinghausen) "Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I'm calling time on it. "Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs." Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant recommended to Communications Minister Anika Wells that YouTube be included in the ban after the draft rules were released in June. Wells said there is "no one perfect solution" for ensuring kids are safe online but said today's announcement would make a positive difference. "The rules are not a set and forget, they are a set and support," she said. "There are heavy penalties for companies who fail to take reasonable steps to prevent underage account holders onto their services of up to $49.5 million. "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children." The social media giants face fines $49.5 million if they "fail to take responsible steps to prevent underage account holders onto their services". (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett) YouTube has argued it should be exempt from the ban as it would restrict political freedom and prevent people under 16 from contributing to political discourse by posting videos and making comments. It has also argued that by allowing children to log in to the platform, it enables safety guardrails specifically designed for younger people. "The government was firm in its decision that YouTube would be excluded because it is different and because of its value to younger Australians. This intention was repeatedly made clear in its public statements, including to the Australian Parliament," a spokesperson for YouTube told earlier today. "However, signals that the government is contemplating an abrupt policy reversal have prompted us to seek further clarity on this matter. "Our position has always been clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians. "We have written directly to the government, urging them to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians." CONTACT US