OCTOBER 5, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Qantas Group swoops on additional seat capacity to Indonesia
Qantas Group has applied for 4,539 additional weekly seats in each direction between Australia and Indonesia. It is seeking to launch flights from Brisbane and Western Sydney to Denpasar, and Perth to Jakarta, while increasing Melbourne - Jakarta services to daily.
OCTOBER 5, 2026. FIJI
Fiji Airways expands international network in 2027
Fiji Airways will expand its international network in 2027, launching a new route and increasing frequencies on four others. The changes will add around 125,000 annual seats as the airline seeks to capture rising demand while making greater use of its existing fleet.
October 2026 News Briefs
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026. NEW ZEALAND
Sunair borrows $2 million from New Zealand Government
New Zealand regional airline Sunair has borrowed $2million from the government to acquire two aircraft, maintain its fleet and refinance debt. Sunair becomes the sixth airline to take advantage of the government’s $30 million air connectivity program.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2026. AUSTRALIA
MinRes Air grows to four jets in two years, another on the way
Mineral Resources’ in-house FIFO airline, MinRes Air, has grown to four Airbus aircraft in the two years since securing its first aircraft. The airline carries up to 9,500 passengers a month and has operated around 1,300 flights in the past year. It is now also planning for a fifth aircraft.
October 2026 Aircraft Movements
SEPTEMBER 28, 2026. FRENCH POLYNESIA
Unity Airlines buys Air Vanuatu Britten Norman Islander
Air Vanuatu has sold a 38-year-old Britten Norman Islander to Unity Airlines for VUV8.05 million. Air Vanuatu says it lacks the capacity and appetite to return the aircraft to service. The airline also says restoration would cost several times more than the sale price.