Jul 17, 2026 – 12.00pm

When the Iran conflict broke out in February, the shock to the airline industry was measured by the soaring cost of jet fuel, disruption to passenger routes that transited through the Middle East, and airlines such as Qantas and Virgin Australia scrambling to adjust their schedules.

But behind the scenes, a bigger struggle was playing out in Australia, where the war pushed the ailing regional flight sector into a fight for its survival.

Loading…