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Why are flights to Europe so expensive? Blame China

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China Eastern flight attendant in Brisbane. Before the pandemic there were nine mainland Chinese airlines flying Australian routes. Photo: Glenn Hunt Want to fly to Paris in mid-September for a three-week getaway to experience the wonders of late summer in Europe? From either Melbourne or Sydney, you can pick up an economy class airfare on a budget airline for around $2200 but fly on a major league airline and you can expect to pay between $3500-$5000. The plane ticket has gone through the roof. In July 2022 you pay for a long-distance economy class seat which almost gets you into premium economy before the pandemic. Premium economy seats? Expect to pay close to what the business costs in 2019. What happened? Rising fuel prices are part of the reason we pay more to fly to Europe, but another big factor is the lack of low price competition. As of May 2022, a total of 51 international airlines operate scheduled passenger services to Australia. That’s 10 less than ...

Developers blame pandemic lockdown for collapse of six companies

These companies are administrative members who own or manage more than 90 properties worth $65 million. They include 40 apartments in the group’s Sydney Road project in Brunswick, another 16 in the Banque 88 high-rise on Southbank, a supermarket and two offices in the Chadstone development and a similar property in The Bentleigh Center being developed in Melbourne’s southeast. These companies were severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic and [by] Government policies include rent relief measures for tenants. Director of CBD Development Guo Jing Chen The latest body blow to the property sector follows the collapse last week of two home builders that left hundreds of homeowners in limbo. Family-owned Langford Jones Homes went into liquidation leaving 65 homes unfinished, owed 250 creditors more than $10 million, and another Victorian builder, Snowdon Developments, in voluntary administration with 550 unfinished homes and 262 creditors owed $17.8 million. . Ian Collins, wh...