WEEKLY REVIEW: SundAY 19 April, 2026

Greetings from London! I’m here in Spring, soaking up culture with visits to multiple galleries and exhibitions, I’m also enjoying a lot of theatre performances, and catch-ups with friends.

New Museums and Galleries is my guideline, and to that end, I visited Leighton House, with its mad Arabic rooms, seen above.

What happened last week?

Ain New Zealand makes Skynest bunk beds bookable. Qantas has its first A350 ultra-long-haul aircraft out of the Airbus hangar for flight testing.

The airline has also cut back on frequencies and routes domestically in the face of the Middle East crisis.

Chinese-based airlines have also cut back on capacity and routes into Australia while increasing their flights to Europe.

Next week

There is just so much to see and do here in London, that I have found it difficult to knuckle down to write blog entries. That should change next week, so expect more regular updates.

AIR NEW ZEALAND: Skynest to cost AU$400. Soon bookable

By 2paxfly on 18 Apr 2026 10:28 pm

Finally, Air New Zealand is about to offer a solution to the problem of sleeping in Economy. After years of delays, it’s finally becoming a reality, with bookings open from 18 May 2026. Years in the making Air New Zealand first revealed the concept in 2020, pitching it as a world-first way for economy passengers […] Read in browser »

CHINESE AIRLINES: Cut Australian flights, increasing flights to Europe

By 2paxfly on 16 Apr 2026 7:47 pm

Chinese airlines are quietly pulling capacity out of Australia and redeploying those aircraft to Europe. They are chasing stronger demand and higher yields as global travel patterns shift. Due to the current Middle East conflict between the US/Israel, and Iran. There are some real consequences for Australian travellers. Fewer flights and routes to Australia Major […] Read in browser »

QANTAS: Cuts thousands of flights across network

By 2paxfly on 14 Apr 2026 9:58 pm

It’s only been a week since I reported that Qantas was boosting its flights to Europe by swapping to larger aircraft and tinkering with schedules. Now, in reaction to further uncertainty about the Straits of Hormuz due to the US/Israeli conflict with Iran, Qantas has quietly cut thousands of flights across its network. It has […] Read in browser »

QANTAS: First Project Sunrise A350-100ULR jet rolls out

By 2paxfly on 13 Apr 2026 3:46 am

After years of hype, delays and plenty of scepticism, Qantas, or more accurately, Airbus, has rolled out its first ultra-long-haul Airbus A350-1000ULR from the factory in Toulouse, marking a major milestone for Project Sunrise. It’s a timely occurrence, with the current Middle East trauma, that this aircraft could fundamentally change how Australians get to Europe, […] Read in browser »

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