Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has secured Air New Zealand as its latest international carrier, with direct flights to Auckland set to commence in mid-2027. This new service will begin roughly six months after the airport’s grand opening at the end of 2026.

The Auckland–WSI route will receive partial funding from the New South Wales government’s $16 million Take-Off Fund, aimed at boosting international connectivity for the region.

“This new connection between Auckland and Western Sydney will open up a pathway between two of the fastest growing regions on either side of the Tasman,” said Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran. “For customers, it’s about getting them to where they want to go more conveniently. For us, it’s another step in strengthening the ties between New Zealand and Australia.”

Air New Zealand joins Singapore Airlines as the second overseas carrier to commit to WSI. On the domestic front, Qantas and Jetstar have already signed on, with QantasLink set to launch operations using Embraer E190 regional jets and possible future deployment of the Airbus A220.

Qantas plans to base five aircraft at WSI, while Jetstar will operate ten Airbus A320 family jets. Together, they anticipate carrying four million passengers on 25,000 flights annually.

While specific domestic routes are yet to be confirmed, flights to Melbourne and Brisbane are expected to be among the first, offering significant time savings for Western Sydney residents—potentially reclaiming up to two hours on same-day trips.

WSI CEO Simon Hickey has been actively courting international airlines, leveraging the airport’s prime location 44km west of Sydney’s CBD and within an hour’s travel for three million people, making it Australia’s third largest catchment area.

“You’ve got Sydney, then Melbourne, and then Western Sydney,” Hickey said, highlighting the region’s rapid growth, youthful population, and strong appetite for travel.

Vietnam Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific are also rumored to be early entrants, reflecting the diverse demographics of the airport’s catchment. The airport’s curfew-free status is expected to attract Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, as well as Turkish Airlines, which will be permitted up to 35 weekly flights between Australia and Istanbul by late 2025.

Despite these opportunities, WSI’s designation as a ‘capital city’ airport shared with Sydney Kingsford Smith may limit some international airlines from expanding their Sydney operations due to regulatory restrictions on flight numbers.

Hickey remains optimistic, noting the strong interest from airlines, particularly in WSI’s 24-hour operational capability, which offers unprecedented scheduling flexibility for global carriers.

Flight operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) faced significant disruption on Friday, June 13, after the sudden closure of airspace over Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria in response to Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets. The Israeli operation, codenamed 'Rising Lion,' targeted nuclear and military facilities and resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian commanders, prompting immediate airspace shutdowns that severely impacted one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.

Dubai Airports confirmed that dozens of flights were either delayed or cancelled, affecting both inbound and outbound services. Major UAE airlines—including Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia—suspended or rerouted flights to at least nine countries across the Middle East, Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Key destinations affected include Tehran, Baghdad, Basra, Amman, Beirut, Tel Aviv, and several cities in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Emirates suspended all flights to and from Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon on June 13 and 14, impacting routes such as Amman (EK903/EK904, EK905/EK906), Baghdad (EK943/EK944), Basra (EK945/EK946), Beirut (EK953/EK954, EK957/EK958), and Tehran (EK977/EK978, EK979/EK980).

Similarly, flydubai halted flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran, Iraq, and Tel Aviv, with some aircraft rerouted or forced to return mid-flight for safety reasons.

The disruption extended to other regional carriers, with Air Arabia suspending services to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. Qatar Airways also temporarily halted flights to Iran and Iraq, while Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines diverted flights to avoid the affected airspace.

The closures forced airlines to reroute aircraft over Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, causing widespread delays and longer flight times.

Dubai Airports and other UAE airport authorities urged passengers to check their flight status directly with airlines, allow extra time for travel, and explore rebooking options before heading to the airport. Guest ambassador teams were deployed across all terminals to assist affected travelers, and airlines activated customer support centers to facilitate refunds and itinerary changes.

Authorities emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew remains the top priority and that they are closely monitoring the evolving situation.

The ongoing airspace closures highlight the vulnerability of global aviation to regional conflicts, with the Middle East experiencing the most severe impact. Passengers are advised to stay updated through official airline and airport channels, as further changes to flight schedules may occur with little notice

Qatar Airways has announced the temporary suspension of its flights to several destinations across Iran, Iraq, and Syria due to the evolving situation in the region.

In Iran, the affected airports include:

• Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA)

• Mashhad International Airport (MHD)

• Shiraz International Airport (SYZ)

In Iraq, flight operations are suspended to:

• Baghdad International Airport (BGW)

• Erbil International Airport (EBL)

• Basra International Airport (BSR)

• Sulaymaniyah International Airport (ISU)

• Najaf International Airport (NJF)

In Syria, flights to Damascus International Airport (DAM) will remain cancelled until the end of Saturday, 14 June.

Qatar Airways has urged passengers to check the latest status of their flights on the airline’s official website: www.qatarairways.com.

The airline emphasized that it adheres strictly to international aviation safety protocols and assured that passenger safety remains its top priority.

A devastating tragedy unfolded in Ahmedabad on Thursday when Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff en route to London Gatwick Airport. The crash, which occurred in the densely populated Meghani Nagar neighborhood near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, resulted in at least 240 fatalities, including passengers, crew, and reportedly some individuals on the ground.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, where images showed towering plumes of black smoke and burning wreckage as rescue teams worked tirelessly to recover bodies and assist survivors.

Remarkably, there was one reported survivor: 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. According to officials and hospital sources, Ramesh had been seated near an emergency exit and managed to escape the burning aircraft by jumping out after the crash. He was found disoriented and with multiple injuries but is reportedly out of danger and receiving treatment at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh described the chaos: “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,” he told the Hindustan Times.

The doomed flight was carrying a diverse group of passengers: 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control less than a minute after takeoff, plummeting into a residential area and reportedly striking the dining hall of a medical college hostel, which may have contributed to the high death toll.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep sorrow and assured that all possible support was being provided to the victims and their families.

As investigations continue, Air India and government officials have pledged full support for affected families, while the airline’s CEO confirmed that a special team is on the ground to assist with relief efforts. The crash has shocked the nation and the international community, with many awaiting further details as authorities sift through the wreckage in search of answers.

Aviation experts and investigators are piecing together the possible causes behind the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which went down minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick, resulting in over 200 fatalities and marking the worst aviation disaster in a decade.

The aircraft, carrying 242 people—including 230 passengers and 12 crew—crashed at an altitude of just 625 feet, with video footage and eyewitness accounts indicating that the plane struggled to gain altitude, failed to achieve sufficient lift, and descended rapidly before exploding on impact.

Initial analysis by commercial pilots and aviation analysts has highlighted several anomalies observed in the moments leading up to the crash. Notably, the plane’s landing gear remained down longer than usual after takeoff, and the wing flaps did not appear to be set in the correct position for takeoff, both of which are critical for generating the necessary lift at low speeds.

Former British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein noted that without proper flap deployment, the aircraft would not have been able to climb effectively, potentially explaining the rapid loss of altitude. He also speculated that a hydraulic issue could have prevented the landing gear from retracting, though he emphasized that these are early observations based on limited video evidence.

The cockpit crew issued a Mayday distress call shortly after departure, indicating severe trouble almost immediately after becoming airborne. Experts believe the pilots may have been attempting to pull the aircraft’s nose up to regain lift, but with insufficient engine thrust and possibly compromised aerodynamic configuration, the plane continued to lose altitude.

The maximum speed achieved was reported to be just 174 knots—well below what would be expected—suggesting the engines were not delivering adequate power.

While the exact cause remains undetermined, several possible scenarios are under consideration. These include a major technical failure such as engine malfunction or fuel starvation, multiple bird strikes, or a critical hydraulic issue affecting the landing gear and flaps. Some analysts have also raised the possibility of a double engine failure, which, while rare, could explain the rapid loss of lift and descent.

Despite speculation, experts stress that only data from the aircraft’s black boxes—the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder—will provide definitive answers, as they contain vital information on the aircraft’s configuration, engine performance, and cockpit communications in the final moments.

Authorities, including India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and international agencies, are prioritizing the recovery and analysis of these recorders, with preliminary findings expected in the coming days.

In the meantime, the aviation community and the public await clarity on what led to this unprecedented tragedy involving a model with an otherwise impeccable safety record

Türkiye's flag carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), achieved a historic milestone by operating 1,369 flights in a single day on June 9, marking its highest daily flight count ever, CEO Bilal Ekşi announced on social media platform X.

This record-breaking performance coincided with the last day of Qurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha), a significant holiday in Türkiye. Ekşi highlighted the rapid growth of the airline, noting that the previous record of 1,292 flights was set only four days earlier, on the eve of Eid al-Adha. He remarked, "Türkiye is growing, THY is flying high," underscoring the airline's expanding operations.

Turkish Airlines had earlier set records with 1,284 flights on July 2, 2023, and 1,292 flights on June 5, 2025, demonstrating consistent growth in its daily flight capacity.

The airline operates a fleet of 484 aircraft and serves over 300 destinations worldwide, maintaining its status as Türkiye’s most valuable brand in 2025, according to Brand Finance.

Founded in 1933 and owned by the Türkiye Wealth Fund, Turkish Airlines continues to strengthen its global connectivity, operating flights across 131 countries with a fleet of 477 aircraft, making it one of the world's most globally connected carriers.

This new record reflects Turkish Airlines' ongoing expansion and its critical role in connecting Türkiye to the world.