It’s been five years since a Tigerair plane last graced Australia’s skies – and the aviation ecosystem is still coping with Tigerair’s extinction.

Jake Nelson and guest host Daniel Croft of Cyber Daily take a look at the ACCC’s report and ask who – if anyone – could fill the gap Tigerair left behind.

Plus, how can we solve the growing mental health crisis in general aviation?

After 30 years criss-crossing regional Queensland, it’s the end of the road for Skytrans – not for the airline itself, which will keep flying, but for the name. New owner Avia Solutions Group is rebranding the carrier as SmartLynx Australia, echoing some of its other brands overseas.

Along with the name change will come a new paint job for the airline’s existing aircraft, with the Skytrans livery to be covered in neutral white, allowing the planes to be more easily used for wet leasing and charter flights when needed – but for Queenslanders who know and love the Skytrans brand, will the change prove a turn-off?

Jake and guest host David Hollingworth examine the pros and cons of the change, and whether all-white planes are an appealing prospect for passengers.

Plus, scrappy upstart Koala Airlines is back in the news – but does its ambition of launching domestic services by the end of next year hold much water?

It’s the bombshell the aviation industry never saw coming, one that has shaken the sector to its core: after five and a half years at Australian Aviation, renowned luminary and thought leader Adam Thorn is leaving Momentum Media.

Over the course of his tenure, Adam has seen COVID-19 shutdowns, travel chaos, and the collapse of multiple Australian airlines – and while he’ll still be leading the print magazine, in many ways it’s the end of an era, a seismic shift rivalling even the exit of Alan Joyce from Qantas in 2023.

Co-hosts Jake Nelson and Benjamin Foster join Adam to reflect on half a decade at the helm of Australian Aviation and what comes next.

Plus, the Ansett brand has been resurrected – but is an “AI-powered” travel booking site really the best use for it?