Flight Buzz
MP flight policy review to end bureaucrats accepting flight upgrades

“When accepted, upgrades should be declared consistent with the [public service] guidance on gifts and benefits, and … officials must not accept any upgrade to first class,” the report states.
The department also said it would publish travel usage and expenditure reports, including the carriers used and costs incurred, from early next year.
“These transparency recommendations are intended to provide greater accountability to the public on Commonwealth travel spend,” the report states.
The report did not recommend limiting access to membership to lounges, despite calls from some parliamentarians for the perk to be banned.
Independent MPs, including Kate Cheney and Helen Haines, gave up their Chairman’s Lounge membership in the furore following the release of Aston’s book – The Chairman’s Lounge – last year. Others, including Allegra Spender and David Pocock, have called for the memberships to be banned for MPs.
Senior regulators, including top staff at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, resigned from the Chairman’s Lounge in November.
The government has rejected other recommendations, including a call for public servants to be required to use economy rather than business class on flights of less than three hours, which could save up to $4 million a year on domestic flights.
Loading
“While there can be operational requirements to use business class on longer flights where government officials are expected to rest on the flight and arrive and commence work immediately, there are few operational requirements for shorter flights, especially those under 3 hours,” the report states.
The department said in a document responding to the report that the “current settings are appropriate”.
A recommendation for contracted travel management companies to be required to offer a broad range of options for international flights and “strongly encourage” the use of existing flight credits before spending more, would be supported, the department said.
Albanese said in October last year that his flight upgrades had been documented appropriately.
“Every single thing has been declared, every single thing has been declared, which is why it has been reported on, and it is appropriate that those declarations occur,” he said. Other politicians, including Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, had to apologise and declare flight upgrades that they had previously omitted.
Qantas and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher’s office were contacted for comment.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
Flight Buzz
Aeroflot increases flights to Nha Trang

HANOI, 7 August 2025: Aeroflot will increase flights from four to five weekly between the Russian capital Moscow and Nha Trang, a popular beach resort in southern Vietnam, effective 15 August.
The new flight will depart from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport every Friday, increasing flights from four to five weekly. By 22 September, another flight will be added, departing from Moscow on Mondays. Finally, on 1 October, an additional flight will be introduced on Wednesdays, giving the airline daily frequencies on the route to Nha Trang.
Aeroflot launched scheduled air service to Nha Trang for the first time in March 2025. Nha Trang is the second destination in Vietnam served by Aeroflot from Moscow. The airline also operates flights to Ho Chi Minh City.
The airline deploys an A350-900 on the route with a flight time of 10 hours and 10 minutes outbound from SVO to CXR and 11 hours and 15 minutes on the return flight from CXR to SVO.
The up-to-date schedule is available on Aeroflot’s website. Tickets for the new flights to Nha Trang are on sale at Aeroflot’s website, its mobile app or through the airline’s sales offices or ticket sales agents. International sales are blocked on popular booking sites such as Booking.com.
TTRW checked flights on Skyscanner, entering dates of travel for a round-trip between Moscow and Nha Trang. The request for flight details and fare content was blocked with the following red flag message.
“In the context of international sanctions, we are currently unable to display content that involves travelling to, from or within Russia. We are monitoring the situation closely and will resume operating when we can. We sincerely hope that a peaceful end can be brought to this situation soon.”
Flight schedule
SU0294 departs Moscow (SVO) at 1920 and arrives in Nha Trang (CXR)* at 0930 plus a day. Daily.
SU0295 departs Nha Trang (CXR) at 1130 and arrives in Moscow (SVO) at 1845. Daily.
*Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR).
In 2024, Aeroflot carried 30.1 million passengers (55.3 million when including all Aeroflot Group airlines).
Flight Buzz
Alaska Airlines Has 7 New Domestic Routes Across the West Coast to Iconic Destinations

- Alaska Airlines announced seven new routes throughout the West Coast.
- Several of the new routes start in October with the remainder rolling out through January 2026.
Fall and winter vacations just got easier to plan on the West Coast.
That’s thanks to Alaska Airlines, which will launch seven new routes to popular destinations across the Pacific Northwest and California starting in October, according to the carrier. The new routes include three flights from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), along with seasonal flights between San Diego and Idaho’s Sun Valley, and more.
“We’re the only global airline based on the West Coast, and we’re proud to offer the most flights and seats between California, Washington and Oregon,” Kirsten Amrine, Alaska Airlines’ VP of revenue management and network planning, said in a statement. “These new additions further expand our ability to take our guests between growing markets in California and the Pacific Northwest for leisure and business travel.”
Starting Oct. 26, the airline will fly between Burbank, CA, and both Eugene and Redmond in Oregon, as well as Pasco, Washington. Each of these flights will operate daily and year-round. That same day, the airline will also launch a new winter-only route five times per week between Palm Springs and Santa Rosa in California for those seeking sunshine and relaxation.
Then on Dec. 18, Alaska will launch flights between San Diego and Sun Valley. These flights will operate three times per week during the winter season, offering an easy connection to one of the most popular ski destinations in the country.
Finally, the airline will begin year-round daily service on Jan. 7, 2026, between both Boise and Ontario, California, as well as between Spokane, Washington, and Orange County, California.
All of the new routes will be operated by an Embraer 175 aircraft, which contains space for 76 passengers in a 2×2 configuration in economy class.
The new routes from Alaska arrive as low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines recently said it would cease all operations in the Los Angeles area, closing its base at the Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). Avelo plans to slow service from Burbank starting this month before completely ending it on Dec. 2.
In addition to its new domestic routes, Alaska Airlines has also focused on international expansion. The carrier plans to launch new service between Seattle and Rome in May 2026, operating the flights on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Last year, Alaska Airlines merged with Hawaiian Airlines. Since then, the combined carrier has invested in new lounges and cabins in addition to an expanded network.
Flight Buzz
PM Modi announces free e-visas for Filipinos, direct Delhi–Manila flights in the works

In a significant boost to bilateral tourism and connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced reciprocal visa facilitation measures and efforts to enhance air connectivity between India and the Philippines during his official address welcoming Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr and his delegation to India. The leaders met to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Highlighting the shared civilisational and cultural ties, Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ recent move to grant visa-free entry to Indian tourists, a decision warmly welcomed by India. In response, India will extend free e-visa facilities to tourists from the Philippines, making cross-border leisure travel more accessible.
In a further effort to deepen people-to-people engagement, PM Modi announced that both countries are working towards launching direct flights between Delhi and Manila within this year. This long-anticipated development is expected to significantly ease travel, enhance tourism, and promote trade between the two nations.
Speaking on the broader scope of bilateral cooperation, Prime Minister Modi stated, “Dialogue at every level and cooperation in every field has long been the hallmark of our relations. Today, the President and I had detailed discussions on our bilateral cooperation, as well as regional matters and global issues. I am happy to share that we have decided to upgrade our ties to a Strategic Partnership. We have also prepared a detailed Action Plan to turn this partnership’s potential into outcomes.”
The announcements form part of a broader strategic partnership unveiled during the visit, covering cooperation in trade, defence, science and technology, and cultural exchange.
-
Brand Stories2 weeks ago
Bloom Hotels: A Modern Vision of Hospitality Redefining Travel
-
Brand Stories2 weeks ago
CheQin.ai sets a new standard for hotel booking with its AI capabilities: empowering travellers to bargain, choose the best, and book with clarity.
-
Destinations & Things To Do2 weeks ago
Untouched Destinations: Stunning Hidden Gems You Must Visit
-
Destinations & Things To Do2 weeks ago
This Hidden Beach in India Glows at Night-But Only in One Secret Season
-
AI in Travel2 weeks ago
AI Travel Revolution: Must-Have Guide to the Best Experience
-
Brand Stories1 month ago
Voice AI Startup ElevenLabs Plans to Add Hubs Around the World
-
Brand Stories4 weeks ago
How Elon Musk’s rogue Grok chatbot became a cautionary AI tale
-
Brand Stories2 weeks ago
Contactless Hospitality: Why Remote Management Technology Is Key to Seamless Guest Experiences
-
Asia Travel Pulse1 month ago
Looking For Adventure In Asia? Here Are 7 Epic Destinations You Need To Experience At Least Once – Zee News
-
AI in Travel1 month ago
‘Will AI take my job?’ A trip to a Beijing fortune-telling bar to see what lies ahead | China
You must be logged in to post a comment Login