Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean

SEPTEMBER 14, 2026. MIDWAY ATOLL

Boeing warns of impact if Midway Atoll loses ETOPS status

Boeing has joined airlines calling on the US to retain Midway Atoll as an ETOPS alternate airport, warning its loss would create a “hole” in trans-Pacific diversion coverage. The FAA is considering whether to spend more than USD100 million to keep the remote airfield operational.

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  • Air Niugini CEO warns against unfettered competition

    SEPTEMBER 11, 2026: Air Niugini CEO Alan Milne says the carrier is not robust enough to withstand unfettered competition, warning larger airlines with deeper pockets could force it off routes. He says competition is welcome but must be structured to protect the state-owned airline’s survival.

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  • RFDS Queensland Section to acquire six new King Air 260Cs

    SEPTEMBER 11, 2026: The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) will acquire six new King Air 260Cs from Textron Aviation, with the first due in 2028. The aircraft will replace older King Air B200s and be fitted with bespoke aeromedical systems for operations across Queensland.

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  • High visa costs help kibosh Air India flights to WSI

    SEPTEMBER 10, 2026: High visa costs and long processing times are among the factors discouraging Air India from expanding flights to Australia, including the soon-to-open Western Sydney Airport. But Fiji Airways and Egyptair are taking a more bullish approach, announcing new services to Sydney that will start in 2027.

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  • Air Calédonie flights to Ouvéa due to restart today

    SEPTEMBER 10, 2026: Another New Caledonian airport is set to reopen after a six-month blockade prevented Air Calédonie flights from operating there. Flights to Ouvéa Island Airport will resume today, September 10, despite ongoing opposition from some local customary groups.

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Alliance Airlines E190-100 at Darwin Airport

September 2026 News Briefs

SEPTEMBER 14, 2026: The Australian Government has re-appointed of Julie Bullas as a commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) for another three years.

Read the news release here.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026: An Air Niugini B737-300ER registered as P2-PXV (msn 30341) struck a bat while landing at Port Moresby (POM) early on September 7. The bat collided with the aircraft’s fibreglass nose, destroying the radar contained within it. Boeing is shipping out a replacement radar and Air Niugini expects to have the aircraft back in the air by this weekend.

See the news report here.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2026: Sydney Airport has confirmed that Egyptair plans to start A350-900 operated Cairo (CAI) – Singapore (SIN) – Sydney (SYD) flights in 2027 although a hard start date and frequencies are yet to be announced.

Read the news story here.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2026: The New Zealand Government says it has made “strong progress” on the Aviation Action Plan, with 15 of the 25 priorities achieved in just one year of implementation. The government says substantial progress has been made on the 10 remaining actions which, among other outcomes, will help modernise and address flaws in the country’s civil aviation rules.

Read the news release here.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026: The Solomon Islands Ministry of Communication and Aviation says its is progressing the procurement process for the Suavano Airport (VAO) upgrading works in Isabel Province. The tender has closed and a technical evaluation is now underway, to be followed by a financial evaluation per World Bank procurement procedures. Following that, the successful contractor will be identified.

Read the news report here.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released an interim report into the engine failure and rejected take-off of a Regional Express (REX) operated Saab 340 at Adelaide on October 8, 2025, revealing that the aircraft’s left engine failed during the take off roll.

Read the interim report here.

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Stewart Island Flights Britten Norman Islander

SEPTEMBER 9, 2026. NEW ZEALAND

South East Air secures New Zealand Gov’t loan

The New Zealand Government will lend $640,00 to South East Air to help refurbish and return a Britten-Norman Islander to service after spending more than three decades on the ground.

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SEPTEMBER 9, 2026. PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Niugini Aviation Services P-750 XSTOL crashes, three dead

Three people have died after a Niugini Aviation Services P-750 XSTOL crashed near Simbai in Papua New Guinea on September 7, 2026. The wreckage was found after a COSPAS-SARSAT distress signal was activated, with deteriorating weather reported at the accident site.

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September 2026 Aircraft Movements

SEPTEMBER 10, 2026: Cargo carrier Asia Pacific Airlines is taking on another B757-200F. The aircraft, N286GB (msn 617), leased from Petrus Aviation, ferried to Honolulu (HNL) from Roswell (ROW) on September 6. The jet becomes Asia Pacific Airlines’ seventh B757-200F, although several are not in service.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2026: National Jet Express is taking delivery of its ninth E190-100. The aircraft, N110BZ (msn 19000075), departed Miami (OPF) on September 6 bound for Perth (PER). The Embraer, obtained on leased from TrueNoord, and ferried to Australia by AF Aviation, will be re-registered as VH-8EC.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2026: Qantas has retired an A330-200. The 23.6-year-old aircraft, VH-EBC (msn 506), operated its final revenue flight on September 5 before ferrying to Melbourne (MEL) the following day where it will be stripped internally. After that, the plane will ferry to Alice Springs (ASP) where it will be put into storage and parted-out.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2026: The Qantas Group is ferrying its fifteenth A220-300 to Australia. VH-X4O (msm 55470) has left Montreal (YMX) for Vancouver (YVR) and will continue on to Australia via Honolulu (HNL) and Nadi (NAN), arriving at Canberra on September 6 (local time). The aircraft will be operated by wholly owned Qantas subsidiary National Jet Systems and is painted in QantasLink livery.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2026: The Qantas Group is readying to ferry an E190-100 to Australia. At the time of publication, VH-E9A (msm 19000250) remains at Norwich (NWI) but is expected to depart for Perth (PER) within days. The aircraft will be operated by wholly owned Qantas subsidiary Network Aviation and is painted in QantasLink livery.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2026: Virgin Australia has commenced ferrying its twenty-fifth B737-8 to Australia. VH-8VJ (msn 67043) departed Melbourne (MLB) for Brisbane (BNE) on August 31, operating via Ontario (ONT) and Kailua-Kona (KOA). It is due to land in Brisbane early afternoon (local time) on September 3.

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AUGUST 31, 2026. NEW CALEDONIA

ASL Airlines Australia abandons plans to buy Airwork NZ

ASL Airlines Australia’s conditional agreement to buy New Zealand freight operator Airwork has fallen through, with receivers now expecting to sell the business to a different buyer by early 2027, according to an update released on September 7

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September 2026 Route Briefs

SEPTEMBER 14, 2026: Philippine Airlines will operate six Cebu (CEB) – Guam (GUM) round-trips between December 17, 2026, and January 7, 2027,  in addition to its regular daily flights between Guam and Manila (MNL).

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026: Shenzhen Airlines will commence A330-300 operated Shenzhen (SZX) – Sydney (SYD) round-trips on December 14, 2026. The flights will operate four times per week.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2026: Nauru Airlines will resume weekly B737-300-operated flights to Pohnpei (PNI) on October 2 as part of a Yaren (INU) – Tarawa (TRW) – Majuro (MAJ) – Pohnpei rotation after suspending flights to the Micronesian island in early July.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026: Korean Air will swap the B787-10 currently operating its daily Seoul (ICN) – Auckland (AKL) round-trips for an A350-900, effective December 17.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026: Cathay Pacific will deploy a B777-300ER rather than an A350-900 on one (CX171/140) of its two daily Hong Kong (HKG) – Perth (PER) round-trips, effective October 25, 2026.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2026: Batik Air Malaysia will reduce its A330-300-operated Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Sydney (SYD) round trips from daily flights to five per week between October 25 – December 1, 2026.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: Air Vanuatu will resume weekly flights between Port Vila (VLI) and Ipota (IPA) via Tanna (TAH) on September 6, 2026, using DHC-6-300 aircraft. The airline last flew to Ipota in 2024.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: Qantas will double its B737-800-operated services between Brisbane (BNE) and Koror (ROR) to two weekly round-trips between December 7, 2026 and March 27, 2027, after signing a new agreement with the Australian Government to keep flying to Palau.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: GAM Group has commenced daily C208B freighter round-trips between Emerald (EMD) and Mount Isa (ISA).

SEPTEMBER 2, 2026: Jetstar’s thrice weekly seasonal A320-200-operated Hobart (HBA) – Newcastle/Williamtown (NTL) round-trips will start on October 27, 2026, and run through April 24, 2027, providing 40% more seats compared to the 2025/26 season.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2026: Philippine Airlines will increase its five weekly A330-300 operated Manila (MNL) –
Melbourne (MEL) round-trips to daily services, effective November 19.

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2026. FRENCH POLYNESIA

Air Moana adds new ATR72-600XT, will return first aircraft

Air Moana has taken delivery of a brand new ATR72-600XT in France, purchased with investor-backed funding. The aircraft, which is yet to make it way to French Polynesia, will replace the airline’s first leased ATR72-600, keeping the fleet at five aircraft.

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SEPTEMBER 7, 2026. AUSTRALIA

ACCC plans to renew Qantas - AA joint business agreement

The ACCC intends to green light a renewed five-year joint business agreement between Qantas and American Airlines, allowing the oneworld partners to continue coordinating flights, schedules, capacity and revenue across Australia and North America

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