AUGUST 24, 2026. FIJI

Contaminated fuel worsens Nadi Airport supply shortage

A fuel contamination issue at Nadi has deepened an existing jet fuel shortage at the airport, forcing airlines to tanker in extra fuel, deploy larger aircraft, and reroute or cancel flights. The Fiji Government has also released 1.3 million litres from its threadbare reserves while awaiting its next fuel shipment.

Get the full story

AUGUST 24, 2026. PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Papua New Guinea completes $17.3m Gurney Airport upgrade

Papua New Guinea has completed a USD17.3 million upgrade of Alotau/Gurney Airport (GUR), the first airport project finished under CADIP II. The improvements include a new terminal and upgraded runway, with the government eyeing future international flights from Brisbane to boost tourism.

Read more

  • Cairns-based Air Pursuit quietly builds Dash 8 portfolio

    AUGUST 21, 2026: Cairns-based aviation consultancy Air Pursuit is quietly building a portfolio of used aircraft for parts, freighter conversion and resale. Its latest acquisition is a former Skytrans DHC-8-100, while another Dash 8 is being dismantled in Canada and three more aircraft are under acquisition.

    Get the full story 

  • Aircalin A330 woes trigger calls for greater gov’t oversight

    AUGUST 21, 2026: New Caledonia politicians are calling for greater oversight of Aircalin after both its A330-900s went out of service, disrupting long-haul flights and stranding passengers. As a short term fix, the airline will wet-lease a widebody jet as debate grows over its long-term strategy and importance to tourism.

    Read more 

  • Gov’t debt exposure on Fiji Airways climbs to 9.5% of GDP

    AUGUST 20, 2026: Fiji Airways has secured an additional FJD200 million government loan guarantee as rising fuel and operating costs squeeze cash flow. The move increases the Fiji Government’s guaranteed exposure to the majority state-owned airline’s debt to FJD1.33 billion, equivalent to 9.5% of Fiji's GDP.

    Get the full story 

  • Canberra Airport inks MOU with Nanjing Airport operator

    AUGUST 20, 2026: Canberra Airport is eyeing direct flights to China after signing an MOU with Eastern Airports Group, operator of Nanjing Airport. The agreement provides a framework to explore direct flights between the two cities, as well as tourism promotion and broader trade, education and cultural links.

    Read more 
1 4

August 2026 News Briefs

AUGUST 24, 2026: New Zealand’s Queenstown Airport (ZQN) had reported an after tax profit of NZD9.1 million for the 12 months to June 30, 2026, against revenues of NZD87.1 million. The airport handled a record 2.82 million passenger movements during the year, including more than a million international passenger movements for the first time.

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 24, 2026: Protesters say they will resume blockading Lifou Airport (LIF) on September 1 after negotiations with the central Nouméa-based government about returning Air Calédonie flights to Nouméa’s Magenta Airport (GEA) failed to produce a breakthrough. Protesters on Lifou Island began blockading their local airport on March 2 but ended their protest on June 3, allowing Air Calédonie flights to resume. Blockades of Maré (MEE) and Ouvéa (UVE) Airports have been ongoing since March.

Read the news report here.

AUGUST 21, 2026: Sydney Airport (SYD) has appointed construction company, Multiplex, to provide construction planning and delivery expertise as the airport develops the major development plan for its T2-T3 terminal project, which is expected to deliver new terminal space and 12 swing gates capable of supporting domestic and international operations while improving connectivity between terminals and unlocking capacity.

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 21, 2026: Auckland Airport (AKL) has reported an underlying before tax profit of NZD309 million for the 12 months to June 30, 2026, down 0.5% on the previous year. Passenger numbers and revenue grew but lower investment property revaluation gains impacted the bottom line.

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 21, 2026: Reconstruction of the runway, taxiway, and apron to improve drainage at Balgo Airport (BQW) in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia is complete. The AUD6.9 million upgrade will benefit local indigenous communities use the airport for Royal Flying Doctor Service aeromedical evacuations and subsidised Aviair passenger flights to Kununurra (KNX) and Halls Creek (HCQ).

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 21, 2026: The Australian Airports Association has appointed Simon McPhee, Chief Corporate Services Officer & General Counsel at Perth Airport (PER), and Katie Cooper, CEO at Launceston Airport (LST), to its board. Leaving the board is Chris Mills, outgoing CEO at Maroochydore/Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY)

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 20, 2026: VietJet officials have met with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade representatives in Auckland to discuss improving connectivity between the two countries. No airline currently operates on the New Zealand – Vietnam country pair

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Christchurch Airport is anticipating its biggest international summer season yet with over 1.27 million international seats available between November and March, 21% more than last summer. Growth is strong on long-haul services, which are up 54% and will add around 130,000 seats compared with last summer. Services across the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands are also growing strongly, up 11% and adding around 89,000 seats. 

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Former Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has been appointed to the Air New Zealand board, subject to ratification at the next AGM in September. Also appointed to the board is former Air New Zealand CFO Robert McDonald. Current board member Larry De Shon will step down at the AGM.

Read the news release here.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Vanuatu’s TAFEA Provincial Government Council has estimated that it will cost almost USD17 million to upgrade Tanna Airport (TAH) to accommodate larger ATR aircraft under its newly launched four-year economic plan. The Provincial Council says the upgrade will allow the airport to handle international flights from neighbouring nations such as New Caledonia and Fiji.

Read the news report here.

Read More News Briefs
Steven Greenway Alliance Airlines CEO

AUGUST 19, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Former flyadeal CEO to take top job at Alliance Airlines

Former flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway will take over as Alliance Airlines CEO on October 1, replacing Stewart Tully. The leadership change comes as the Australian carrier works to improve its financial performance following a renegotiated wet-lease agreement with Qantas.

Read more

AUGUST 19, 2026. NAOERO

Naoero minister laments Northern Pacific Connector demise

Naoero's aviation minister has criticised delays in Australia's North Pacific Connector tender, saying it has failed Nauru Airlines and the people of Micronesia. The carrier is now pursuing partnerships with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands as it seeks to restore axed Pacific Connector sectors.

Get the full story

August 2026 Aircraft Movements

AUGUST 24, 2026: The Qantas Group is ferrying in another DHC-8-Q400. The aircraft, C-FOWE (msn 4471) is currently at Honolulu (HNL) enroute to Brisbane (BNE) via Majuro (MAJ), having ferried to Hawaii from Sault Ste Marie (YAM) via Victoria (YYJ). The aircraft, to be re registered as VH-84I, becomes the Qantas Group’s forty second active Q400. It will be operated by wholly-owned subsidiary Sunstate Airlines in QantasLink livery.

AUGUST 21, 2026: GAM Air is ferrying its third Beech 1900D freighter to Australia. At the time of publication, the aircraft, VH-YJQ (msn UE-208) has left Hilo (ITO), having flown in from Provo (PVU). It will continue to Coolangatta/Gold Coast (OOL) via Apia (APW) on August 21. GAM’s 1900D freighters operate for Team Global Express, mostly within Queensland.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Virgin Australia is presently ferrying its twenty fourth B737-8 to Australia. The aircraft, VH-8IP (msn 67047) departed Melbourne (MLB) on August 18 bound for Brisbane (BNE) via Ontario (ONT) and Honolulu (HNL). Virgin has another two MAX 8s to ferry in before its order of that type is fully delivered.

AUGUST 17, 2026: A retired QantasLink F100 is ferrying to Wollongong (WOL) from Perth (PER) via Kalgoorlie (KGI). The Qantas Group has donated the aircraft, VH-NPU (msn 11502), to the HARS Museum. It will arrive in Wollongong in the afternoon of August 17. VH-NPU ended revenue flights in July.

AUGUST 11, 2026: National Jet Express is preparing to ferry its ninth E190-100 to Australia. The aircraft, N110BZ (msn 19000075) was recently repainted in National Jet Express colours and at the time of publication, is at Miami (OPF). It will be entered into the Australian aircraft register as VH-8EC.

AUGUST 10, 2026: PNG Air is ferrying in its fourth ATR42-600. At the time of publication, the aircraft, P2-ATQ (msn 1219) is at Muscat (MCT) enroute to Port Moresby (POM), having flown from Toulouse (QLF) via Malta (MLA) and Jeddah (JED).

AUGUST 10, 2026: New Zealand’s Glenorchy Air has taken delivery of its first Tecnam P2012 after a marathon ferry flight Capua (QIJ) to Auckland (AKL) via Rome (QUI), Lille (LIL), Paris (BVA), Reykjavik (RKV), Goose Bay (YYR), Quebec (YQB), St. Catharines (YCM), Buffalo (BUF), Houghton Lake (HTL), Hollister (HLI), Kona (KOA), and Pago Pago (PPG). After receiving its local certification, the aircraft, T7-NZL (msn 091) will be registered as ZK-JTK.

Read more aircraft movements

AUGUST 08 2026. AMERICAN SAMOA

Recovery team retrieves Samoa Airways Twin Otter from ditch

Specialist crews have recovered Samoa Airways Twin Otter 5W-FAY from a ditch at Fitiuta Airport almost three weeks after its runway excursion. The damaged aircraft will be dismantled, packed into shipping containers and transported to Apia following an assessment by Unity Aviation engineers.

Read more

August 2026 Route Briefs

AUGUST 24, 2026: Airnorth will operate an additional flight every Tuesday between September 22 and December 22, 2026, on the Perth (PER) – Alice Springs (ASP) city-pair, as well as on the scheduled Darwin (DRW) Tennant Creek (TCA) - Alice Springs - Tennant Creek  Darwin rotation.

AUGUST 21, 2026: AirAsia X will axe its Kuala Lumpur (KUL – Sydney (SYD) services, effective October 25. The low-cost carrier cites increased cost pressures, softer demand and the need to strategically align its network and fleet.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Korean Air will run thrice-weekly seasonal B787-9 operated Seoul (ICN) - Melbourne (MEL) round-trips between December 18, 2026, and March 14, 2027.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Jetstar will increase its planned flights on the Coolangatta/Gold Coast (OOL) – Western Sydney (WSI) city-pair from four to seven per week. The recently announced services will start on October 25.

AUGUST 20, 2026: Airnorth will extend its seasonal Saturday E170-operated round-trips between Kununurra (KNX) and Perth (PER) to December 19, 2026, rather than October 31, as previously planned. 

AUGUST 19, 2026: Korean Air will add a fifth weekly B787-9-operated round-trip on the Seoul (ICN) – Brisbane (BNE) city-pair, effective December 20, 2026.

AUGUST 17, 2026: Jetstar is axing its daily Brisbane (BNE) – Mackay (MKY) round-trips, effective October 23, 2026. The airline says rising operating costs have rendered the route commercially unviable.

AUGUST 13, 2026: Air India will increase its weekly B787-8 operated Delhi (DEL) – Melbourne (MEL) round-trips from seven to eleven, effective October 25.

AUGUST 13, 2026: Air India will deploy the B777-300ER on its daily Delhi (DEL) – Sydney (SYD) round-trips from January 1, 2027, and on selected frequencies during December 2026. The B777 replaces the B787-8.

Read More Route Briefs

AUGUST 18, 2026. NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand halfway through rescue helicopter fleet renewal

New Zealand has reached the halfway point of a three-and-a-half-year programme to replace its 16 emergency rescue helicopters. The eighth replacement aircraft, an Airbus H145 D3, has just entered service in Hawke's Bay, with eight more helicopters due to begin operations by mid 2027.

Get the full story

AUGUST 14, 2026. AUSTRALIA

New Micronesian airline eyes Nauru Airlines partnership

Fledging carrier One Pacific Airways is eyeing an inter-island network
across Micronesia and neighbouring nations using E145LRs. The would-be start-up has also recently held talks with Nauru Airlines about potential commercial and operations cooperation.

Read more