FEBRUARY 5, 2026. PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Papua New Guinea’s competition czar wants aviation reform

The head of Papua New Guinea’s Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) says the country’s domestic aviation duopoly isn’t good for consumers. “There are only two major players, Air Niugini and PNG Air,” said ICCC Commissioner Roy Daggy. “We’d like to see more.”

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FEBRUARY 5, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Gov’t grants for airports stung by REX administration

The Australian Government is making AUD5 million available to regional and remote airports left out of pocket after Regional Express (REX) filed for voluntary administration in mid-2024.The government said the grants will help remedy the impact of unpaid landing fees and other outstanding airport charges.

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FEBRUARY 4, 2026. WESTERN SAMOA

No new Samoan airline this year says finance minister

Western Samoa’s finance minister has poured cold water on prime ministerial plans to launch a home-grown international airline this year. Mulipola Anarosa Molio’o told local media in that the cost of starting up the carrier would be at least USD11 million, and that’s before the government sources any aircraft

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FEBRUARY 4, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Qantas Group to sell Jetstar Japan shareholding

The Qantas Group is selling its 33.32% stake in Jetstar Japan, according to a February 3, 2026, Australian Stock Exchange filing. The sale will see the low cost carrier transition to 100% Japanese ownership and draws a line under the Qantas Group’s various Jetstar-branded joint ventures.

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FEBRUARY 3, 2026. GUAM

United's Guam ops to rely on MAX 8s by end of 2026

United Airlines’ Guam-based network will transition to an all B737-8 (MAX 8) fleet by the end of 2026, in line with previous
announcements.

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FEBRUARY 2, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Newcastle Airport seeks NSW Gov’t co-investment

Newcastle Williamtown Airport (NTL) has asked the New South Wales Government for co-investment in new aviation routes via a five-year Newcastle Airport Accelerated Aviation Growth Fund.

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FEBRUARY 2, 2026. PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Keita Airport upgrade sees runway length temporarily halved

Papua New Guinea’s National Airports Corporation is warning that upcoming runway works at Bougainville’s Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) will see the runway’s operational length temporarily slashed from 1,525 metres to 810 metres, preventing many aircraft types from using the airport.

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JANUARY 30, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Airport boss flags Port Vila Bauerfield terminal upgrade

The 1990’s era passenger terminal at Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport could be upgraded to handle increase passenger numbers. Vanuatu Airports Limited CEO Jason Rakau says the work should start later this year after scoping and design work is done and the funding gets locked in.

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Air New Zealand B787-9

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  • Jetstar kicks off B787-8 cabin refurbishment project

    JANUARY 29, 2026: Jetstar has sent a B787-8 to Hong Kong for a cabin refurbishment. The aircraft, VH-VKK (msn 36237) ferried up from Melbourne (MEL) on January 26, 2026. The flight is a first step in a project that will see all eleven Jetstar B787-8s refurbished by the end of the year.

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  • Matthew Findlay appointed CEO of Solomon Airlines

    JANUARY 29, 2026: Matthew Findlay will become the new Solomon Airlines CEO, effective February 16, 2026. Findlay is currently the director of global markets at Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting. He will take over from interim Solomon Airlines CEO Paul Abbot, who has manned the hot seat since the departure of Sean Te'o in mid-2025.

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  • Melbourne Airport’s seven-month night-time Runway 09/27 closure

    JANUARY 28, 2026: Melbourne Airport is closing its 2,286 metre east-west runway at night for up to seven months to enable “once-in-a-decade” maintenance work to occur. The closure took effect from January 21, 2026, and sees single-runway operations happening between 10.00pm and 6.00am.

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  • New legislation to tidy up aviation oversight in Fiji

    JANUARY 28, 2026: Seven years after ICAO raised concerns following an aviation audit, the Fijian Government will introduce a bill to resolve them. According to a recently released public consultation notice, the proposed Civil Aviation Bill (2026), will modernise, consolidate, and improve the country’s civil aviation regulatory framework.

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February 2026 News Briefs

FEBRUARY 4, 2026: Air New Zealand’s general manager of airports, Kate Boyer, will become chief operations officer in late March, replacing Alex Marren, who announced she was stepping down last year. In addition, Mike Williams, currently chief transformation and alliances officer, will become the airline’s chief operations officer (technical operations). Both appointments come into effect on March 31, 2026.

Read the stock exchange filing here.

FEBRUARY 4, 2026: Queensland’s Central Highlands Regional Airport has adopted the Emerald Airport (EMD) Master Plan, outlining how the airport will continue to grow and improve to meet future passenger, freight and technology needs. Following the plan’s adoption, Council will begin working on the short-term implementation plan (over the next five years), including planning for future freight opportunities.

You can read the masterplan here.

FEBRUARY 3, 2026: Papua New Guinea’s National Airports Corporation has pushed back the start of runway upgrade work at Kiunga Airport (UNG) until March. Consequently, Air Niugini says it will continue to operate its four times weekly Port Moresby (POM) – Kiunga flights until March, instead of suspending the flights in late January, as previously planned.

Read the news release here.

FEBRUARY 2, 2026: The operator of Saipan Airport (SPN), the Commonwealth Ports Authority, hastily approved emergency maintenance expenditure after the airport’s runway lights went out overnight across January 28 - 29, forcing ATC to temporarily halt arrivals and departures.

Read the news report here.

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JANUARY 27, 2026. NORTHERN MARIANAS

CNMI’s Star Marianas Air targets CPA with new FAA complaint

EXCLUSIVE: Saipan-based Star Marianas Air has escalated its long-running legal stoush with local airport operator, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, by lodging a Part 16 Complaint with the FAA. The complaint alleges the CPA has systematically failed to abide by federal statutory and grant assurances since 2009.

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JANUARY 27, 2026. TIMOR-LESTE

Aero Dili starts weekly Dili – Fuzhou flights

EXCLUSIVE: Aero Dili has started scheduled passenger flights to Fuzhou (FOC). It is the Timor-Leste based airline’s second destination in Mainland China and highlights the deepening economic relationship between the two countries.

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February 2026 Aircraft Movements

FEBRUARY 2, 2026: The Qantas Group has ferried out another DHC-8-Q300 following its retirement of the type last year. VH-SBI (msn 605) departed Alice Springs (ASP) on January 29, 2026, and at the time of publication, is at Muscat (MCT). The QantasLink branded aircraft was operated by Qantas Group subsidiary Eastern Australia Airlines.

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JANUARY 26, 2026. NEW ZEALAND

Auckland Airport expects Chinese New Year travel spike

Auckland Airport says the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year period will see some airlines increase capacity to the airport. Six airlines operate scheduled passenger services between Auckland and China. These airlines typically average 35 flights per week over the year, but this will spike 18% across January and February.

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February 2026 Route Briefs

FEBRUARY 3, 2026: Air Vanuatu has resumed scheduled DHC-6-300 flights between Port Vila (VLI) and Loh (TOH) in the Torres Islands after a two year pause. The flights resumed on February 1.

FEBRUARY 3, 2026: Qantas has started operating an A220-300 on the Brisbane (BNE) – Wellington (WLG) city-pair. The aircraft will initially replace the B737-800 on three of the carrier’s five weekly scheduled round trips. 

FEBRUARY 3, 2026: Qantas will axe its underperforming DHC-8-Q400 operated Melbourne (MEL) – Albury (ABX) and Melbourne – Wagga Wagga (WGA) flights, effective March 1, 2026.

FEBRUARY 2, 2026:  Qantas says it will operate up to five weekly round-trips on the Sydney (SYD) – Sapporo (CTS) city-pair over the 2026/27 summer, up from the three weekly round-trips operating this season. The increase is attributed to “exceptional demand.” The seasonal route will operate next summer from December 7, 2026, to March 31, 2027. 

FEBRUARY 2, 2026: China Eastern Airlines has confirmed that thrice weekly seasonal A350-900 operated Shanghai (PVG) – Adelaide (ADL) round-trips will run between June 20 – August 2, 2026.

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JANUARY 26, 2025. AUSTRALIA

Virgin Australia eyes China Southern code share to NZ, Vanuatu

A Virgin Australia Group company, Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd, has applied to Australia’s International Air Services Commission for permission to code share with China Southern Airlines on flights between Australia and New Zealand and Australia and Vanuatu.

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