We often talk about the duopoly in Australia's airline sector – but if you ever needed proof of its power, you'll find it in the latest eye-popping data from the ACCC, which shows Qantas Group and Virgin between them operated almost 99 per cent of all domestic flights in the back half of 2025.

With Rex's domestic jets and Bonza's point-to-point flights a distant memory, we return to the age-old question: can any new contender hope to carve out a niche for itself in a market dominated by the two warring giants of the skies?

In this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David dissect the ACCC's newest domestic airline competition report and once again ask who – if anyone – could break the duopoly's stranglehold on Australia's airspace.

Plus, the first tickets go on sale at Western Sydney International Airport, and how many regional markets have room for more than one carrier?

Australians' love affair with Bali is nothing new, but it sure does seem we're seeing a lot of new and expanded flights there over the past few months – from Jetstar to AirAsia, Avalon to Newcastle, our biggest overseas holiday destination seems to be enjoying a real moment in the sun.

But as Jetstar begins flights connecting through Bali to Singapore and AirAsia offers a smorgasbord of onward fly-through services, could Denpasar become more than just an endpoint for Australian travellers and evolve into a hub in its own right?

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David take a (metaphorical) trip to Bali and examine just why it appears to be so popular lately – and what it can offer for aviation beyond just the Aussie tourism crowd.

Plus, a caveat emptor from the ACCC for anyone who might be planning to fly through the Gulf any time soon, and will Australia finally ditch the notorious yellow incoming passenger card?

It's a safe bet that before a few weeks ago, not a lot of us would have been able to name the Strait of Hormuz, let alone point to it on a map – but now that it's become one of the biggest geopolitical headaches on the planet (and the reason petrol prices are skyrocketing), suddenly that unassuming body of water is a household name.

More pressingly for aviation, of course, is the fact that the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil has been choked off, meaning jet fuel is suddenly harder to come by. Airlines are raising costs and slashing services to compensate, and there are worried noises from some corners about how much exactly we have in reserve – so, how concerned should we be, exactly?

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David drill into the Middle East oil crisis, how it's affecting Australian airlines, and whether sustainable aviation fuel might help safeguard against future shocks.

Plus, the first report is out into slot usage at Sydney Airport – so are the big airlines really "gaming the system"?