As tariffs and border crackdowns continue stateside, the number of Australians taking trips to the US has slumped, with travel to Asia surging instead – a trend noticed by Flight Centre, which is taking a hit to its bottom line.

It’s not just passengers that are causing a headache for aviation amid the US uncertainty, however: if the trade war causes a Chinese slowdown, the resulting drop in demand for resources could have a knock-on impact on the FIFO sector, with NJE’s Lim Kim Hai already looking to cut spending.

Adam and Jake discuss what the Trump administration’s policies abroad could do – and have already done – to aviation in Australia.

Plus, is there a culture problem at general aviation businesses?

It’s one of the biggest political bunfights in Australia’s aviation sector – should the government force airlines to compensate passengers for delays within their control, above and beyond the usual refunds or flight credits?

If you listen to the airlines, the answer is a resounding no, with representatives at the Senate committee hearings on proposed legislation warning it could drive up costs and lead to more delays and cancellations.

But according to customer advocate Adam Glezer of Consumer Champion, that’s not the case – and, in fact, there are some hidden upsides in the idea for industry as well as consumers.

On this week’s Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake Nelson speaks with Glezer about his work and why he supports more robust passenger protections.

As if Boeing needed more bad news, the US-China trade war has delivered another body blow to the planemaker with Beijing ordering a halt on new Boeing plane deliveries to Chinese airlines.

As China’s aviation industry is upended by the news, what does it mean for one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world – not to mention Boeing’s competitors, and other countries looking to get their hands on scarce planes?

Adam and Jake examine the fallout and how the tit-for-tat tariffs could squeeze more industries than just aviation.

Plus, Australia hits new heights for international travel, and a dark-horse candidate takes home the coveted Huey.