It was a day five years in the making for Virgin Australia, and it went off without a hitch: Australia’s second-largest airline group is finally back on the ASX, with CEO Dave Emerson ringing the bell for its IPO on Tuesday.

The relisting caps off a remarkable turnaround for Virgin Australia after it collapsed into administration in 2020 during COVID-19 – but now that the long road back to public trading is over, what’s next for the carrier?

Adam and Jake discuss how Virgin got back on its feet, how it’s changed its business model, and where its future might take it.

Plus, with tensions in the Middle East playing havoc with flights through the region, should airlines be looking at more connecting hubs between Australia and Europe?

Almost 40 years after its rebranding as Australian Airlines – and just over 30 years after its merger with Qantas – a consortium is planning to bring back Trans Australia Airlines, or TAA, with an ambitious plan that would see Rex become the resurrected airline’s regional arm.

While Rex’s administrator has knocked back Renaissance Partners’ dark-horse bid a second time, the firm is not yet giving up on its goal of turning Darwin into a hub for incoming flights from Australia’s north – but could it actually work?

Adam and Jake discuss the plan for the new TAA, what it might do for passengers, and whether it could avoid Australia’s ever-growing airline graveyard.

Plus, Virgin’s IPO finally hits the runway next week, big milestones at Western Sydney International Airport, and why the Air India crash doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the Dreamliner.

With co-host Jake Nelson off sick, Australian Aviation has had to improvise for this week’s podcast.

But what a treat we have for you. Two weeks ago, Australian Aviation’s sister brand, Space Connect, hosted its Australian Space Summit & Exhibition, otherwise known as AusSpace 25.

In our best panel, regular host Adam Thorn moderated a panel with three Australian astronauts, with the questions asked by schoolchildren.

Paul Scully-Power was Australia’s first-ever astronaut, who went to space in 1984. Eric Philips blasted off to space on a private SpaceX mission in April, while Katherine Bennell-Pegg was the first astronaut to formally qualify under the Australian flag.