Qantas unveils good news for Western Australian flyers

Qantas has unveiled some good news for Western Australian travellers - including those in regional centres. 

The state is is to benefit from a multi-million dollar upgrade of QantasLink’s fleet, with the airline announcing upgrades to the onboard experience of its Airbus aircraft and confirming it has secured the initial three Embraer E190s to replace its Fokker 100 fleet.

These investments "will improve comfort and reliability for thousands of residents across regional WA, as well as workers in Western Australia’s critical resources industry", the airline said in a statement.

The airline will begin fitting its fleet of 28 Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft with onboard wifi so customers can keep connected and enjoy the latest hit movies and television shows on their own device via the Qantas Entertainment App.

The airline’s A320s will also be fitted with new seats equipped with USB A/C charging ports and portable device holders.

The first refurbished aircraft is expected to enter into service later this year, with the full cabin and wifi program set to be completed in early 2027.

The three mid-life Embraer E190 jets are expected to begin arriving by the end of the year, gradually replacing afleet of Fokker F100 aircraft.

In total, the airline will acquire up to 14 E190s. 

“This multi-million-dollar investment reinforces our long-term commitment to serving the critical resources sector in Western Australia and connecting regional communities across the state," says QantasLink CEO Mark Dal Pra.

 
“Not only will it significantly enhance the travel experience for our customers, it will also help us improve reliability and efficiency across our WA network.

“It also builds on Qantas’ commitment to developing Perth as its western hub, including recent investments in new training facilities, infrastructure upgrades at Perth Airport and the launch of domestic and international routes to destinations including Newcastle, Hobart, Johannesburg and Auckland.”

Disaster declared as Kruger National Park among flooded regions

Heavy rain and flooding in tourism areas including the Kruger National Park has seen the South African Government declare a state of disaster.

The response came after ongoing catastrophic weather has ravaged multiple provinces mainly in the north of the country since late December 2025, local media reported. 

The declaration came after weeks of torrential rain, lightning, and damaging winds that have devastated Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the North West.

It was confirmed in a statement by Dr Elias Sithole, head of the National Disaster Management Centre,

IOL online reported. 

"I regard this occurrence as a disaster and, in terms of Section 23(1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002. I classify the disaster as a national disaster," Sithole said. 

He noted that the severe weather has "resulted in the loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure and the environment, as well as the disruption of basic services."

Sithole has called upon all organs of state to "further strengthen their support to the disaster management structures" and to ensure that contingency plans are fully activated to deal with the ongoing effects of the floods.

The worst impact is in the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where the fatalities occurred, as well as in parts of neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe. 

Tourism drawcard the Kruger National Park was closed and Hoedspruit, the airport that serves the wildlife zone, shut down. 

The park is one the biggest game reserves in the world. 

Image: Kruger National Park, Winsor Dobbin   

To your door: Aldi teams with DoorDash for liquor deliveries

I am an unashamed admirer of the range of budget wines offered by Aldi stores - and now they can be delivered to your home via DoorDash.

The Aldi range of liquor products will be available for delivery via DoorDash across New South Wales

Following a successful national launch of DoorDash grocery delivery, Aldi has announced that from Wednesday beers, wine and spirits can be delivered to homes.

Aldi's special buys will also be available for national delivery from most locations via DoorDash.

Bad luck if you live in Tasmania, where there are no Aldi stores.

“Whether it’s for a celebration, a quiet night in or a last-minute gathering, customers in New South Wales and Victoria can order their favourite Aldi liquor products direct to their door, simply through the tap of the DoorDash app," says Simon Padovani-Ginies, group director at Aldi Australia.

“Since launching our partnership with DoorDash in 2025, we have been working hard to ensure as much of the Aldi offering is available to customers for delivery.

"Adding liquor for our New South Wales and Victorians shoppers and our beloved special buys for all Australian shoppers means they can access more of the high-quality, low-priced Aldi products they know and love in a more convenient way.”

Explore a selection of gourmet packages in Burgundy

Beaune is a delightful small market town in Burgundy, the de facto wine capital of the region and a delightful spot to taste some local wines and enjoy local dishes like jambon persille, boeuf Bourguignon and ouefs en muerette.

My favourite address is the atmospheric Hotel Le Cep, which has just launched a new range of experiences in and around the charming historic town.

Perhaps enjoy one or two nights for two with a free upgrade, a romantic welcome in your room and breakfast for two. Maybe combine with an experience in the hotel's Spa & Holistic Centre with access to the H2O area (sauna, steam room, sensory shower) and a 45-minute massage for two.

And then add something you don't normally find in Burgundy - a meal for two at the LunchBox, which serves vegetarian Indian cuisine.

Over the Valentine's Day holiday period (from February 12-16) this package is available from
€676 for two people in a 1er Cru room.

Or maybe opt for a Wine Tourism & Cultural Package starting from €773. 

This includes a night in a 1er Cru room, breakfast for two, ad Immersive “Great Terroirs” wine tasting for two people, tickets for two people to the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne, and a Bouchard Aîné & Fils Tour for two people.

There are also packages including dinner in the on-site Loiseau des Vignes restaurant.

See https://hotel-cep-beaune.experience-unique.com/ for full details. 

Sydney hotel offers a range of Valentine's Day experiences - and a view

Whether you just want a drink, a stylish treat, or an overnight stay to mark Valentine's Day, Sydney's five-star InterContinental Hotel probably has something to suit. 

Available year round - including limited availability over Valentine's Day - for those planning something special guests are invited to upgrade their stay with a Signature Suite Experience. 

Think a suite with  sweeping Sydney harbour views along with a bottle of Champagne, petit fours, breakfast for two, an Aster Rooftop bar experience and a late checkout. 

Or check out the Valentine’s Day experience in the historic Treasury sector of the hotel.. 

This experience includes half-dozen freshly shucked oysters and two glasses of Champagne for 
$80 per person. 

The Aster rooftop bar, meanwhile, offers panoramic harbour views with a half dozen oysters and two glasses of Champagne for $99 per person, or a Premium Experience featuring a 10g tin of caviar with brioche and a half a bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs for $169 per person. 

For details see https://www.sydney.intercontinental.com/promotion/valentines-day-intercontinental-sydney/

Get inside: Florence rings in the changes for diners

Florence is a major drawcard for tourists in Tuscany, a beautiful and historic city that is best enjoyed off peak.

Over the summer season it can unbearably crowded.    

But now the Italian city is moving to limit one of its key drawcards - wining and dining al fresco in the old quarter.

Florence wants to restrict outdoor dining across large parts of its historic centre, hoping to rein in the impacts of mass tourism and restore public spaces to residents, travel news hub Travel Mole reports.

Under new regulations approved by the municipality in coordination with Italy’s cultural heritage authorities at the end of last year, outdoor dining structures will be banned on around 50 streets within the UNESCO-listed historic core. See https://www.visitflorence.com/

The affected areas are mainly narrow, high-traffic streets where tables, chairs, umbrellas and barriers have increasingly clogged pedestrian routes and obscured views of historic buildings.

In addition to the outright ban, stricter limitations will apply to more than 70 other locations, where restaurants may still be allowed outdoor seating but with tighter controls on size, layout and the use of coverings or fixed structures.

The goal, city officials say, is not to eliminate outdoor dining entirely but to restore balance in areas that have become overwhelmed.

The measures are scheduled to take effect in early 2026, although the city has not yet announced a precise start date.

A transition period has been built in to allow businesses time to adapt. Existing permits for outdoor dining structures must be reviewed or renewed under the new rules by mid-March 2026, effectively setting a practical deadline for compliance.

Florence’s city hall says the decision responds to long-standing complaints from residents who argue that some streets have turned into “open-air dining corridors,” making daily life difficult and eroding the character of the historic centre.

Officials also point to the need to safeguard Florence’s architectural heritage and ensure unobstructed views of iconic landmarks.

The ban will not apply uniformly across the city. Wider streets and larger piazzas, as well as areas outside the historic core, are expected to retain some form of outdoor dining.

Heritage advocates and resident groups have welcomed the move as overdue, while many restaurant owners warn it could hurt revenues, particularly during peak tourist seasons when outdoor tables are most profitable.

Image: Karon Morono, Scop.io