New Aussie airline confident of 2026 launch

A new airline startup to rival Qantas and Virgin Australia says it is on track to start operations next year.

Koala Airlines CEO Bill Astling said the new airline is already ‘creating quite a buzz’ despite not having any planes yet.

“We’re not trying to be Qantas or Virgin – our model is fundamentally different, and that’s why we’ve attracted the backing we have,” Astling said.

“We’ve deliberately kept a low profile – not because we’re stalling, but because we’re building something with a long-term, sustainable foundation,” he added.

“We’re on track to start operations late next year.”

Historically, new airlines have struggled to compete with the big two airlines.

The latest casualties were Bonza Airlines and Rex – an established regional carrier that expanded to jet operations before going into bankruptcy.