The most wonderful time of the (financial) year

The most wonderful time of the (financial) year

Author: Momentum Media September 3, 2025 Duration: 54:48

The sound of investor presentations and ASX releases can only mean one thing: results season has come again, bringing joy and cheer to all the good shareholders of the land – especially those who've invested in airlines.

Qantas has posted another bumper profit as it looks to snap up even more A321XLRs, Virgin Australia has celebrated its 25th anniversary with a healthy result, Alliance is flying more hours than ever, and across the Tasman, even Air New Zealand is still in the black despite its many headaches.

Jake and guest host Benjamin Foster unpack all the major airlines' results and take a look ahead to the prospects for 2026.

Plus, it's the end of the line for Gold Coast Airport's light rail – what might replace the controversial project as the Olympics draw ever closer?


You'll find the Australian Aviation Podcast Network right at the intersection of runway tarmac and boardroom strategy. Produced by Momentum Media, this collection of shows digs into the stories that define flight in this part of the world, moving well beyond the headlines. Each episode feels like a hangar chat with the people who know the industry best-pilots, engineers, executives, and analysts-offering a grounded perspective on everything from the engineering marvels of new aircraft to the complex logistics of running an airline. We explore the sheer joy and freedom of recreational flying just as deeply as the tough commercial decisions that keep the sector aloft. Whether it's a discussion on sustainable fuel technologies, the revival of regional routes, or the history behind a beloved aircraft type, the conversation is always driven by genuine curiosity. Tune in for clear, informed talk that connects the dots between the business of aviation and the passion that fuels it, all delivered with a distinct Aussie lens. This podcast network is for anyone who feels that lift of anticipation when an aircraft throttles down the runway, or who simply wants to understand the forces that shape how we connect across this vast continent and beyond.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

Australian Aviation Podcast Network
Podcast Episodes
How Mission Aviation Fellowship is helping remote communities [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Mission Aviation Fellowship uses its aircraft and volunteers to help people living in the most isolated communities in Australia and around the world. In this episode, the charity's new local CEO, Chris Barnes, talks abo…
Infrastructure Week for Australia's airports [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
As the "big four" airports – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – bring in record revenues for their aeronautical operations, they're starting to splash a lot of that cash on future-proofing their infrastructure. Betw…
A bad week to be a nervous flyer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Between tropical cyclones, cockpit medical episodes, and airport security breaches – and all of those just in Australia – one could perhaps be forgiven this week for having a sudden bout of aerophobia. There's been a har…
Qantas threads the needle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:20
Since the departure of Alan Joyce in late 2023, new Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has largely eschewed her predecessor's bombastic camera-friendly style, instead keeping her head down and focused on rebuilding Australia's tr…
Is it third time lucky for MH370 searchers? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:53
More than 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 in the Indian Ocean, the plane has yet to be found despite two search efforts – and the families of those who lost their lives still h…
How GE Aerospace is innovating towards a sustainable future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:06
In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, host Adam Thorn speaks with Jeff Shaknaitis, the customer sustainability leader at GE Aerospace, about the industry's push toward net-zero emissions by 2050. Je…
Is Rex on the road to nationalisation? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:13
As Rex has limped on in administration over the past half-year, with prospects for a sale dimming, the question has occasionally been asked: might the government step in more forcefully to keep its essential services in…
Who will win Virgin's 'game of planes'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
The news came like an assassin in the night: Paul Jones, the long-rumoured frontrunner to replace Jayne Hrdlicka as CEO of Virgin Australia, was out of contention following pushback by the powerful TWU. With no further w…
Is the wait almost over on Virgin's Qatar deal? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:24
It's been a few months since the announcement of one of the biggest deals in recent Australian commercial aviation history: the purchase of 25 per cent of Virgin Australia by Qatar Airways, and with it, the return of Vir…
The Boomerang's comeback [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:28
The Spitfire, the Hurricane, the Kittyhawk – when asked to name the fighter planes that won World War II, most people would place these legendary machines high on the list. Yet largely absent from these lofty histories i…