FEBRUARY 9, 2026. AUSTRALIA

Virgin Australia locks in AFL travel for another five years

Virgin Australia has inked another five-year partnership agreement with the Australian Football League (AFL). While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, the airline is understood to have seen off a push by rival carrier Qantas to snare the business.

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FEBRUARY 9, 2026. NEW ZEALAND

Air New Zealand long-haul cabin crew to strike this week

Air New Zealand’s long-haul cabin crew will strike on February 12 and 13, 2026, seeing some flights cancelled. The long-haul cabin crew work Air New Zealand’s B777-300ER and B787-9 flights. The airline says it will attempt to minimise disruptions.

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Aero South Pacific Airport Briefs available for download

Aero South Pacific has released its first airport briefs covering Australia’s top 20 passenger airports. The briefs, which you can download for free, provide an informative snapshot of scheduled regular passenger transport and passenger charter activity at Australia’s busiest airports.

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Air New Zealand B787-9

Download our complimentary Country Briefs

Aero South Pacific is pleased to offer our readers a complimentary 27-page PDF download providing key data on each of the 23 aviation markets we cover, including the active airports in each market and the local and international airlines servicing those airports.

Download here

  • Thai Airways plots return to Auckland in 2H 2026

    FEBRUARY 6, 2026: Thai Airways will resume scheduled flights between Bangkok (BKK) and Auckland (AKL) later this year, having axed the service early in the Covid-19 era.

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  • Papua New Guinea’s competition czar wants aviation reform

    FEBRUARY 5, 2026: 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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  • Gov’t grants for airports stung by REX administration

    FEBRUARY 5, 2026: 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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  • No new Samoan airline this year says finance minister

    FEBRUARY 4, 2026: 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 2026 News Briefs

FEBRUARY 9, 2026: The upgrade of the Santa Cruz Airport (SCZ) in the Solomon Islands is complete. The work included runway sealing, pavement and shoulder improvements, and installing airfield ground lighting. The World Bank financed project was part of the Second Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project.

Read the news article here.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026: Virgin Australia has secured another multi-million five-year deal with the Australian Football League (AFL). The airline retains its partner status, with AFL players, coaches and support staff continuing to travel exclusively on the carrier.

Read the news release here.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026: Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji Executive Manager Standards and Compliance, Sereima Bolanavatu, says the regulatory agency is struggling to reach full staffing due to high training costs and a shortage of qualified professionals, adding that many aviation professionals prefer private industry roles that offer higher pay.

Read the news article here.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026: Sydney Airport has appointed global architecture practice Grimshaw and international engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald as the lead consultants for its T2–T3 terminal link project, a multi-year investment forming a core part of the airport’s AUD6 billion capital works programme.

Read the news release here.

FEBRUARY 5, 2026: 2025 was the busiest year on record for international travel at Sydney Airport (SYD), with a total 17.17 million international passengers passing through in 2025, including 4.62 million international passengers in the year’s final quarter. Factoring in domestic passengers, 42.54 million people travelled through Sydney Airport in 2025.

Read the news release here.

FEBRUARY 5, 2026: A Virgin Australia B737-800, VH-YFS (msn 6589), performed a go-around at Hobart Airport (HBA) on February 4 after pilots discovered the aircraft’s flaps were stuck while on final approach. The aircraft later landed safely, albeit at higher-than-normal speeds. At the time of publication, the aircraft remains at Hobart.

Read the news article here.

FEBRUARY 5, 2026: Nauru Airlines has inked an aircraft engine sale and leaseback agreement with Willis Lease Finance Corporation for seven CFM56-7B engines fitted to its B737-700 and B737-800 aircraft. The six-year agreement will also cover maintenance and spare parts.

Read the news release here.

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.

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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 2026 Aircraft Movements

FEBRUARY 9, 2026: Jetstar Airways has retired an A320-200, VH-YXV (msn 5598). The aircraft was withdrawn from service in early January 2026, ferrying to Singapore Seletar (XSP). It recently continued onto Toulouse (QYF) via Muscat (MCT) and Cairo (CAI). The A320 will be taken up by Jetstar Japan and re-registered as JA11JJ.

FEBRUARY 9, 2025: PNG Air is mid way through ferrying another mid-life ATR72-600 to Papua New Guinea. The aircraft, P2-ATY (msn 1047) departed Toulouse (QYF) on February 6 and, at the time of publication, is at Bahrain (BAH). PNG Air is inducting several ATRs this year.

FEBRUARY 9, 2026: Qantas has taken delivery of another ex-Singapore Airlines B737-800. The aircraft, VH-XZT (msn 44230), formerly 9V-MGN, ferried from Singapore (SIN) to Alice Springs (ASP) via Darwin (DRW) on February 5. In June 2025, Qantas announced it would lease four mid-life B737-800s to help counter delivery delays of new aircraft.

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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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 2026 Route Briefs

FEBRUARY 5, 2026:  Aero Dili will operate its weekly Dili (DIL) – Oecusse (OEC) round-trips on Saturdays rather than Fridays across February and March 2026.

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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FEBRUARY 2, 2025. 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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