It's been a quarter of a century since the most seismic shock to hit Australia's aviation sector before COVID-19: the dramatic collapse of Ansett Australia, which had been one of the country's two domestic airline giants.

With 16,000 people out of work and a sudden vacuum left in the domestic market, Ansett's demise sent shockwaves through both the sector and the nation at large, and its impact is still felt today.

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David look at what Ansett Australia left behind, 25 years after the airline went bust – and ask what might have happened if it hadn't.

Plus, it's also been 25 years since 9/11 reshaped the face of global aviation – so how has the industry changed since the towers fell?

It's one of the harshest and most unforgiving environments on Earth – but even in Antarctica, aviation is still a vital connection for those living on research stations across the frozen continent.

Skytraders has worked with the Australian Antarctic Division for almost a quarter of a century to provide aviation support and logistics to scientific missions in often challenging conditions, far from the nearest airport.

In July, the airline carried out a rare midwinter mission to McMurdo Station, in pitch darkness and temperatures as low as −43°C, to evacuate a medical patient to Christchurch – a mission which succeeded thanks to the skill and experience of the pilots and their supporting teams.

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Skytraders pilots Dan Colborne and Louise Robertson share their tales of flying to Antarctica – the highs, the lows, and the challenges of operating in the isolated southernmost reaches of the planet.

It's a sad day for those who love big planes – after 20 years in the sky, Qantas will begin retiring its mighty A380s from 2028, with smaller and more fuel-efficient twinjets like the 787 and A350 set to replace them.

Beloved by passengers, but with fuel and maintenance bills to match its massive size, the A380 may no longer make sense for Qantas' business model, but it'll always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of avgeeks – and for bigger hub airlines like Emirates, where it's arguably a better fit.

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David bid a fond early farewell to the Qantas A380 fleet as the superjumbos get ready to fly off into the sunset.

Plus, results season is upon us – which airlines came out ahead in the 2026 financial year, and which ones took a beating from the ongoing geopolitical and economic storm?