WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 26 July, 2026

Hello travellers,

Greetings from Sydney! I’ve had a very comforting week at home.

The first few instalments of the Oh Canada! Trip reports have started dropping, including my experience checking in at the Qantas First Counter in Sydney and my flight on a Dreamliner to Vancouver.

What happened last week?

Qantas has been crowing about the first test flight to Melbourne of its A350-1000ULR aircraft. Not so much crowing that it has ceded the debut inaugural international flight in and out of Western Sydney Airport to Air New Zealand.

I have reviewed my flight between Sydney and Vancouver in Business Class with Qantas on a Dreamliner, as part of my Oh Canada! Trip Report.

There have been two innovations this week. One is the Emirates U-shaped headrest, which could replace the neck pillow, and the debut of a majority-owned indigenous airline in Western Australia, Altura Airlines. 

Next week

I*’ll be tied to my desk next week with some Uni work, so no air travel for me.

I’m hoping to drop the next two reviews in the Canada trip report, but, given a university deadline, forgive me if those slip to the following week.

In the meantime, check that your travel insurance is up to date, keep up your vaccinations, check Smartraveller if you are transiting the Middle East, and travel safely.

Until next week . . .

Stephen

QANTAS: Project Sunrise A350 reaches Melbourne, Australia after 19-hour test flight

By 2paxfly on 24 Jul 2026 1:54 pm

Qantas’ Project Sunrise aircraft has touched Australian soil for the first time, completing a marathon non-stop test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne. Not to mention the ongoing, nearly 10-year marathon of non-stop PR campaign (project named in 2017) Qantas has been running about this initiative! The specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR landed at Melbourne Airport at […] Read in browser »

ALTURA AIRLINES: Majority Indigenous-owned carrier launches from Perth

By 2paxfly on 22 Jul 2026 11:03 am

Australia has another airline name in its skies. You won’t find Altura Airlines appearing beside Qantas or Virgin Australia when searching for your next Perth flight. The new majority Indigenous-owned carrier commenced operations from Perth on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Its initial focus is charter flying for mining, energy, infrastructure and government customers across regional […] Read in browser »

TRIP REVIEW: Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner, QF75 Sydney to Vancouver in Business Class. Oh Canada!

By 2paxfly on 21 Jul 2026 10:22 am

This is the next post in my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’ve covered the reason for this trip in the introductory post, as well as my check-in experience and the Qantas First Lounge pre-boarding experience. Now it’s time for the actual flight. This is my first time (I think) on a Qantas 787-9 on long […] Read in browser »

TRIP REVIEW: Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner, QF75 Sydney to Vancouver in Business Class. Oh Canada!

By 2paxfly on 21 Jul 2026 10:22 am

This is the next post in my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’ve covered the reason for this trip in the introductory post, as well as my check-in experience and the Qantas First Lounge pre-boarding experience. Now its time for the actual flight. This is my first time (I think) on a Qantas 787-9 on long […] Read in browser »

WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: First international passenger flights 100 days away

By 2paxfly on 20 Jul 2026 11:36 am

Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) will welcome its first overseas passenger flight on Monday, 26 October 2026, when an Air New Zealand Airbus arrives from Auckland. The same aircraft will then operate the first scheduled international passenger departure from the new airport, returning across the Tasman later that morning. Western Sydney Airport will finally become […] Read in browser »

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