OCTOBER 17, 2025. NEW ZEALAND

A Look at Air New Zealand’s Christchurch Ops

Christchurch is the primary airport on New Zealand’s South Island and the country’s second busiest. It is also Air New Zealand's second busiest port, with the airline operating 518 departures and providing 52,140 seats in the seven days from October 29, 2025.

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OCTOBER 16, 2025. NEW CALEDONIA

Protests in Nouméa Over Magenta Airport Closure

Peaceful protests have taken place in Nouméa opposing the relocation of flights operating to and from Magenta Airport (GEA) to La Tontouta (NOU).

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OCTOBER 15, 2025. NEW ZEALAND

Air Chathams Inks Interline Agreement With Air New Zealand

Air Chathams, one of several carriers operating in New Zealand’s embattled regional aviation market, has received a much-needed shot in the arm this week, signing an interline partnership with Air New Zealand.

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OCTOBER 14, 2025. AUSTRALIA

Remote Airports Score $24 Million in Latest Australian Gov’t Funding

Remote Queensland airports have emerged as the biggest winners in the latest Australian Government Regional Aviation Access Program funding awards.

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OCTOBER 13, 2025. AUSTRALIA

NSW Gov’t Support Underpins Qantas Group’s Newcastle Expansion

Funding from the New South Wales Government is behind the Qantas Group’s recent expansion at Newcastle Williamtown Airport (NTL).

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Air New Zealand Market Report - Summer 2025/26

Available now

Tongan Government Short-lists Potential Lulutai Airlines’ Buyers
OCTOBER 10, 2025: Fly Niu is one of two entities short-listed to invest in and operate state-owned Lulutai Airlines, according to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Aisake Eke.
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Alliance’s Scott McMillan to Step Down in November
OCTOBER 9, 2025: Scott McMillan, the founder and joint managing director of Alliance Aviation, trading as Alliance Airlines, has announced he will step down later this year.
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Papua New Guinean Landowners Buy Three DHC-8-100s
OCTOBER 8, 2025: Local Papua New Guinea landowners have acquired three DHC-8-100 aircraft through the Ok Tedi Landowners Royalty Investment Trust.
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Power Struggles Sees Tonga Airport Ltd CEO Suspended
OCTOBER 7, 2025: The Tongan Government has suspended the CEO of state-owned Tonga Airports Ltd amid claims of a political power struggle and a misuse of power.
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Australia’s MinRes Air Ferrying in Another A320
OCTOBER 6, 2025: Australian mining and resources company Mineral Resources is ferrying in an A320-200 today, which it will operate under its MinRes Air brand.
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October 2025 News Briefs

OCTOBER 15, 2025: Fiji Airports has awarded the FJD8.1 million (USD3.55 million) contract for the upgrade of the baggage handling system at Nadi Airport (NAN) to Alstef Group.

Read the news report here.

OCTOBER 15, 2025: Igneo Infrastructure Partners has sold its 15.26% stake in Adelaide Airport (ADL) to existing Adelaide Airport shareholders UniSuper and IFM. The price was not disclosed.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 15, 2025: Gold Coast Airport (OOL) says its set a September passenger record last month, with over 560,000 passengers passing through the airport - 10% more than in September 2024.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 14, 2025: Qantas and Jetstar, both Qantas Group carriers, are now offering more seats (50% market share) on trans-Tasman routes than rival Air New Zealand (45%). The latter airline usually has the edge on Australia - New Zealand capacity.

Read the news report here.

OCTOBER 13, 2025: Niugini Ground Services (NGS) has ceased to act as PNG Air’s ground handling agent at Tokua (RAB) and Hoskins (HKN) airports. Only Buka (BUA) and Arawa ARAW) continue to operate under agency arrangements within the PNG Air network.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 13, 2025: Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister and minister responsible for Fiji Airways, Biman Prasad, says the search for the airline’s new CEO is ongoing. Incumbent CEO Andre Viljoen will will step down this month after 10 years in the role.

Read the news report here.

OCTOBER 10, 2025: The Australian Government is investing nearly AUD25 million in funding for upgrades at 42 remote airports through round 11 of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 10, 2025: A Fiji Airways B737-800 registered as DQ-FJN (msn 34969) remains on the ground at Christchurch Airport (CHC) after experiencing a bird strike incident while taking off there yesterday. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely.

Read the news report here.

OCTOBER 10, 2025: Air New Zealand has committed to buy 8000 tonnes of internationally verified, New Zealand nature-based carbon removals by 2030, in partnership with My Native Forest.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 8, 2025: The New Zealand Government has confirmed the appointment of a permanent 14-person Aviation Council to work on matters such as workforce pipeline issues, regulatory bottlenecks and infrastructure needs.

Read the news release here,

OCTOBER 8, 2025: The Nauru Government says work to replace the existing runway fencing at Nauru Airport (INU) will commence soon and will continue until next year. The work will not impact flight schedules.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 7, 2025: New Zealand's Commerce Commission has declined a request by Air New Zealand for an inquiry into airport regulation. Auckland Airport says it welcomes that decision.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 7, 2025: Brisbane Airport (BNE) expects a record 83,000 plus passengers to pass through its terminals on October 6, 2025, besting a record of 82,779 passengers set in late September.

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 6, 2025: Qantas has applied to Australia's International Air Services Commission for a 99 year renewal of Determination [2015] IASC 108 allocating unlimited capacity and frequency per week on the United Kingdom route, expiring 30 August 2026.

Read the application letter here.

OCTOBER 4, 2025: Air Niugini commenced A220-300 revenue flights today with a service between Port Moresby (POM) and Lae (LAE).

Read the news release here.

OCTOBER 3, 2025: Qantas has confirmed that it will close Qantaslink bases at Hobart (HBA), Canberra (CBR), and Mildura (MQL), taking effect in 2026.

Read the news article here.

OCTOBER 2, 2025: Guam-based Aero Micronesia, Inc (Asia Pacific Airlines) has applied to the US Department of Transportation for authority to fly property and mail between Guam (GUM) and Hong Kong (KKG) from October 27, 2025.

Read the application here.

OCTOBER 2, 2025: Royal Brunei Airlines will operate its final B787-9 charter to Rockhampton (ROK) today, flying out Singapore Armed Forces members participating the Project Wallaby military exercise.

Read further details here.

October 2025 Route Briefs

OCTOBER 16, 2025: Beijing Capital Airlines has axed its weekly Qingdao (TAO) – Melbourne (MEL) round-trip, effective September 30, 2025.

OCTOBER 16, 2025: Air Mauritius will add a third weekly Mauritius (MRU) - Perth (PER) round-trip between December 3, 2025, and January 29, 2026.

OCTOBER 14, 2025: United Airlines plans to increase its four times per week San Francisco (SFO) - Brisbane (BNE) round-trips to daily flights, albeit not until September 2026.

OCTOBER 14, 2025: United Airlines intends to increase its five times per week B787-9 operated round-trips between San Francisco (SFO) and Papeete (PPT) to daily services, effective June 29, 2026.

OCTOBER 10, 2025: QantasLink is resuming thrice-weekly DHC-8-Q400-operated flights on the Hobart (HBA) - Canberra (CBR) city pair on October 26, 2025.

OCTOBER 9, 2025: Virgin Australia resumed thrice-weekly B737-800 round-trips on the Adelaide (ADL) - Launceston (LST) city pair on October 7, 2025.

OCTOBER 9, 2025: Jetstar will begin thrice-weekly A320-200 seasonal services between Hobart (HBA) and Newcastle (NTL), effective December 2, 2025, through April 21, 2026.

OCTOBER 9, 2025: Aero Dili is suspending one of its twice-weekly Dili (DIL) - Oecusse (OEC) roundtrips, effective October 13, 2025, axing the Monday flight but retaining the Friday flight.

OCTOBER 7, 2025: Turkish Airlines will add its TK code to Hong Kong Airlines flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and Sydney (SYD) from October 26, 2025, and Hong Kong and Melbourne (MEL) from December 12, 2025.

OCTOBER 6, 2025: Batik Air Malaysia will begin a third weekly B737-800 roundtrip between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Dili (DIL) on November 5, 2025.

OCTOBER 6, 2025: China Southern Airlines will make its B787-8-operated Guangzhou (CAN) – Darwin (DRW) service, due to start on December 3, 2025, year round rather than seasonal.

OCTOBER 2, 2025: Thai Airways has begun placing TG flight numbers on Malaysia Airlines-operated flights between Kuala Lumpur (KUL and Adelaide (ADL) and Kuala Lumpur and Auckland (AKL).

OCTOBER 2, 2025: Batik Air will continue to use A330-300s on four of its seven weekly Kuala Lumpur (KUL) - Sydney (SYD) round-trips until at least the end of November 2025.

Recent Aero South Pacific News

Aero Dili Eyes Chinese and Australian Expansion
OCTOBER 3, 2025: Aero Dili has signalled that it will launch flights to new destinations this month. The two aircraft airline from Timor Leste posted on Facebook on October 1 that it was a “new month" with “new destinations.”
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Qantas Prepares to Take Two Dry-Leased A330s From Finnair
OCTOBER 2, 2025: Two A330-300s that Qantas is dry leasing from Finnair are preparing to ferry to Australia after finishing flying for the Finnish carrier and emerging from the paint shop in Qantas livery
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Perth Airport Releases Preliminary 20 Year Master Plan
OCTOBER 1, 2025: Perth Airport (PER) released a Preliminary 20 Year Master Plan on September 30, 2025. It outlines a multi-billion-dollar investment and infrastructure upgrades over the period.
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Samoa Airways Sends Second Twin Otter to Canada for Overhaul
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025: Samoa Airways expects one of its three DHC-6-300 Twin Otters to be out of service for the rest 2025 following a ferry flight to Canada for a refurbishment. It is the second of the three Twin Otters sent to North America for an overhaul.
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