Exclusive: Qantas pounces on Vanuatu as its flag carrier flounders

The Malaysian flag carrier has commenced five A330-300 flights per week, with the first MH135 service touching down aboard 9M-MTO just before 6:30am on Saturday. The service will add more than 75,000 inbound seats to Brisbane each year.

Speaking to ABC Radio in Adelaide, Angus Mitchell confirmed that the ATSB is investigating an exhaust fire on Wednesday and a mid-air engine shut down on Saturday, both on Rex flights to Broken Hill, but said they did not necessarily indicate a wider p…