Record number of airlines now using Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport now handles flights from 50 airlines, the highest number in its 103-year history.

The 50th airline, Vietjet, had its inaugural flight this week from Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietjet is the sixth new airline Sydney Airport has welcomed in the past 12 months. The others are Batik Air Indonesia, Bamboo Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, Thai AirAsia X and T'way Air.

Vietjet will be offering three return services a week from Ho Chi Minh City a week on its A330-300 fleet.

Sydney Airport now has four airlines flying to Vietnam, a rapidly growing tourist market which attracted more than 317,000 Australian travellers in 2019.

“For the first time in our proud 103-year history, we have 50 airlines flying through Sydney Airport,” said Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert: 

“This is an incredible achievement when you consider air travel was almost non-existent through Covid.

“Attracting airline networks to rebuild capacity to Sydney is key to supporting the recovery of international tourism, business travel, student travel and the broader New South Wales economy.

“We're thrilled to welcome Vietjet to Sydney Airport, as the airline will be providing a further low-cost option to this sought-after and popular destination. "

Vietjet vice president Nguyen Thanh Son said: “Australia plays an important role in our business strategy. Connecting Sydney with Ho Chi Minh City demonstrates Vietjet's strong commitment to provide a new choice for Australians to explore Vietnam and other Asian destinations."

Image: Sydney Airport

Grange fetches record price at auction

A bottle of Penfolds Grange 1951, which was both signed and recorked by winemaker Max Schubert, has gone under the hammer at a Langton’s auction for $142,131, breaking the previous record for an Australian wine of $103,000.

Max Schubert AM (Wikimedia)

The bottle is one of the few rare examples in existence of the first vintage of Penfolds Grange ever made, and went under the hammer at the Langton’s Penfolds Rewards of Patience auction.

The buyer was a Sydney-based wine collector who was not identified.

“This is extraordinary, never in my wildest dreams would I have thought a bottle of Australian wine would sell for this much,” said Langton head of auctions Tamara Grischy.

“This, however, is a unicorn of a wine, and one of the finest bottles we’ve ever seen come through at Langton’s.

“The buyer is thrilled to have secured this fine piece of Australian wine history for their collection.”

Penfolds Grange Hermitage Bin 1 Shiraz 1951 is the first vintage ever made of Australia’s most famous wine. Schubert only made three or four barrels of it, and he gave away most bottles to his friends.

This specific bottle of Grange Hermitage Bin 1 Shiraz 1951 was made even more special as it is signed by Schubert, and hand re-corked in August 1988 at Penfolds Magill Estate.

“Incredibly, the 1951 Grange – the first vintage ever created – has sold for a world record price, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Grange in 2021. This is one to complete a collection,” said Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago.

“After 70 years of unbroken vintage releases, Grange continues to surprise and reward. Much to celebrate.”

There are believed to be around 35 bottles of the first vintage of Penfolds Grange in existence. This includes approximately 15 bottles that are part of complete sets of Penfolds Grange, which include all vintages of Penfolds Grange from 1951 to present day.

The Penfolds Australia Collection 2021, including the latest Grange vintage, 2017, is due to be released on Thursday, August 5.