Pilots first heard about a Chinese live-fire naval exercise near Australia last week when already in the air, receiving messages that forced some to change paths through a busy air corridor, satellite text messages to and from pilots seen by Reuters show.

A Virgin Australia pilot is responsible for alerting authorities to Chinese live fire drills off Australia’s east coast last week, a Senate Estimates hearing has revealed.

Virgin Australia and Emirates aircraft heard the Chinese flotilla's radio notification about a live-firing test off the Australian coast last Friday.

Dozens of commercial flights had to change course last week when they were surprised by Chinese naval drills off the coast of Australia. But China said its navy repeatedly issued notices.Some 49 commercial flights were forced to change course last Friday when Chinese warships unexpectedly announced naval drills off the eastern coast of Australia,