Today
Chinese debt trap diplomacy blamed for grounding Vanuatu airline
Air Vanuatu has gone into voluntary liquidation, putting pressure on the Albanese government to bail out the national carrier.
- Andrew Tillett and Ayesha de Kretser
Has Qantas really changed?; Perpetual’s fall from grace; AI’s big energy problem
This week on the Chanticleer podcast, James and Anthony look at Qantas’ $120 million settlement, extract lessons from the demise of funds management giant Perpetual, reveal why everyone is talking about data centres and energy.
Bonza in talks with six buyers despite owing $100m and losing planes
Creditors of the collapsed budget airline were told that it owed more than $100 million to backers, customers and staff after going under late last month.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Yesterday
Kerry Stokes ‘cannot cop criticism’
Teal MP Zoe Daniel has accused billionaire Kerry Stokes of anti-democratic behaviour after Seven West Media doubled the cost of printing the AFR. Here’s how the day unfolded.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
This Month
Citi’s Bonza links emerge in emails showing overdue invoices
The Wall Street investment banking giant is a lender to AIP Capital, the aircraft lessor tied to the budget airline and its ailing private equity owner.
- Ayesha de Kretser
- Exclusive
- Mergers & acquisitions
Bonza’s backers plotted to ‘get the planes out’ and ‘wind this up’
Leaked documents show the writing was on the wall for the budget carrier weeks before it collapsed, and suggest co-ordination between its financiers and owners.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
ANZ reveals $2b buyback; Macquarie bets on AI; Bonza backers’ plot
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Opinion
- Opinion
Qantas’ Hudson takes the chance to shed some Joyce baggage
Vanessa Hudson has finally accepted reality by making a deal with the competition watchdog over ghost flights.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Updated
- Qantas
Qantas pays $120m to settle ghost flights case
Customers on cancelled flights will receive up to $450 in compensation after the airline admitted it misled travellers and agreed to pay $120 million to settle.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser and Lucas Baird
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Admitting Qantas’ ‘ghost flight’ misconduct is a win for Hudson
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has taken the pragmatic approach of fessing up to the ACCC and ending the so-called ‘ghost flights’ case. It’s another step in her rebuild.
- James Thomson
777 Partners accused of fraud, double-pledging assets in lawsuit
777 owns or has stakes in several football teams around the world and has a sprawling collection of businesses, including Bonza which is in voluntary administration.
- Jill R. Shah and David Hellier
Is Bonza a goner? Woolworths’ $8b crisis; Bizarre quantum theory
This week on the Chanticleer podcast, James and Anthony delve into Bonza’s crash landing, reveal the real cost of Woolworths’ PR crisis and answer a listener’s question about Australia’s whopper venture capital investment.
How 777 Partners bad marriage doomed Bonza from the start
Documents pitched to investors prove Bonza could never succeed with the fleet it was leasing – a condition of its relationship with 777 Partners.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Macquarie profits fall; Adgemis’ tax woe; Bonza directors ‘blindsided’
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Bonza directors say they were blindsided by lease cancellation
The airline laid off staff and extended its flying outage to Tuesday because it can’t find planes.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Animus Rex: airline’s extraordinary threat to ground a local mayor
King Island mayor Marcus Blackie has been threatened with a Rex blacklisting after he accused the airline of price-gouging.
- Myriam Robin
Bonza’s sister airline cuts 777 Partners, restructures debt
Flair Airlines finds new backers as Bonza edges closer to the brink.
- Ayesha de Kretser
Man lodges 20,000 noise complaints, Greens hold noise inquiry
Yes, aircraft noise complaints are rising, says Airservices Australia. But only because of one guy.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
Bonza administrator still looking for new backers
Bonza’s move to enter voluntary administration is a “sad time for aviation and major blow for competition”, says the main body representing Australia’s network of airports.
- Ayesha de Kretser and Zoe Samios
Qantas says app now stable, still investigating malfunction
The Flying Kangaroo is investigating a system malfunction that gives passengers access to other Qantas customers’ data.
- Ayesha de Kretser
