News Briefs From November 2025

NOVEMBER 28, 2025: SmartLynx Australia (formerly Skytrans) will rebrand following the failure of namesake airline, SmartLynx Latvia. SmartLynx Australia is owned by Avia Solutions Group, who sold the Latvian carrier earlier this year.

Read the news article here.

NOVEMBER 28, 2025: Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued MinRes Air Flight Operations Pty Ltd (MinRes Air) a Part 119 air operator's certificate on November 17, 2025.

Read CASA's list of valid air operator's certificates here.

NOVEMBER 28, 2025: Air New Zealand staff in Rarotonga are raising concerns over changes to working conditions and employment agreements that they say is a breach of the Cook Islands Employment Relations Act 2012.

Read the news article here.

NOVEMBER 28, 2025: The Australian Government has appointed Janice Lee as a non-executive director to the Western Sydney Airport (WSA Co Limited) board for a 3-year term.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 27, 2025: Guam International Airport (GUM) is seeking public feedback on a proposal to allow the airport's board of directors to independently sign off on property and facility leases of up to 50 years and 15 years for retail, food and beverage, currency exchange, car rentals, and parking concessions.

Read the proposal documentation here.

NOVEMBER 27, 2025: New Zealand researchers and businesses will be able to quickly develop products without needing Civil Aviation Authority approval for small changes under new government rules designed to cut red tape and advance the aviation sector.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 25, 2025: Air Niugini has resumed jet operations to Gurney Airport (GUR) in Alotau, Milne Bay Province, following the completion of runway upgrade works by the National Airports Corporation.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 24, 2025: Wellington CIty Mayor Andrew Little is replacing outgoing Mayor Tory Whanau as the city council's representative on the Wellington Airport (WLG) board, effective immediately.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 24, 2025: Representatives from the US military and Federated States of Micronesia government have agreed to upgrade Yap Airport (YAP) to improve regional stability and operational capabilities.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 24, 2025: Minority shareholders in PNG Air have an extra two weeks in which to accept the company’s offer to subscribe for additional ordinary shares. The extension is due to the share broker having difficulties contacting some shareholders. The new deadline is 5.00pm on December 5, 2025 (Port Moresby time).

Read the stock exchange filing here.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025: Papua New Guinea's Ministry of Civil Aviation is heading an initiative to establish the country's first-ever aviation degree programmes at the University of Technology to help address a shortage of skilled and qualified aviation professionals.

Read the news article here.

NOVEMBER 19, 2025: Fiji's Labasa Airport (LBS) will close between February 16 and March 22, 2026, to allow upgrade works to be completed.

Read the news article here.

NOVEMBER 19, 2025: Perth Airport (PER) handled a record 1.66 million, passengers in October 2026, including 1.17 million domestic passengers and 485,895 international passengers. The previous monthly record of 1.61 million passengers was set in July 2025.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 14, 2025: Sydney Airport has launched a global tender process to establish a panel of leading architectural and engineering firms to help deliver its $6 billion capital works program over the next five years.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 14, 2025: Qantas is establishing a new product innovation centre in Adelaide to accelerate the delivery of digital experiences for customers. The facility is supported by the South Australian Government and will open in March 2026.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 12, 2025: Qantas says all key airframe components including the forward, centre and rear fuselage sections have come together for its first A350-1000ULR aircraft, along with the wings, tail section and landing gear being attached.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 12, 2025: Perth Airport says it handled a record 17.5 million passengers in the 12 months to June 30, 2025 - up from 16.1 million (8.5%) in the previous year. More than half of the growth came from international passengers.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 11, 2025: Air Niugini will begin code sharing with Qantas on the latter airline's flights between Brisbane (BNE) and Perth (PER) and Sydney (SYD) and Perth. The changes take effect from mid November 2025.

Read the news report here.

NOVEMBER 11, 2025: Almost a quarter of a million passengers made their way through Launceston Airport (LST) during the last two months, with September and October exceeding all-time highs as the airport welcomed 106,671 and 128,615, respectively.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 10, 2025: Qantas shareholders have approved a board proposal to allow CEO Vanessa Hudson to participate in the airline’s long-term incentive plan. Shareholders also approved the board's renumeration report at a November 7, 2025, annual general meeting.

Read the stock exchange filing here.

NOVEMBER 10, 2025: Tourism Fiji and the Chongqing Municipal Commission for Culture and Tourism Development have inked an agreement to develop Chongqing-Fiji travel itineraries, paving the way for Chongqing - Nadi flights and further cementing China's push into the Southwest Pacific.

Read the news report here.

NOVEMBER 10, 2025: Five airports in Papua New Guinea being upgraded under the Civil Aviation Development Investment Program (CADIP 2) were less than 40% complete in September, according to Papua New Guinea's National Airports Corporation.

Read the news report here.

NOVEMBER 7, 2025: Qantas has released a market update saying it is on track to achieve 2H 2025 revenue growth in line with the guidance given when releasing the FY2024/25 annual results in August.

Read the stock exchange filing here.

NOVEMBER 7, 2025: Air New Zealand and BETA Technologies have launched the airline's next generation aircraft technical demonstrator programme. The four-month programme will see Air New Zealand pilots work alongside BETA's flight operations and engineering team to undertake flights in various conditions.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 5, 2025: The Fijian Government says bird strikes cost Fiji Airways FJD19.2 million (USD8.4 million) in 2024 and resulted in four B737s going out of service for various lengths of time.

Read the news report here.

NOVEMBER 5, 2025: Solomon Airlines is adding 20 extra flights between mid-December 2025 and mid-January 2026 to accommodate strong demand to and from Honiara and Munda in Solomon Islands, Espiritu Santo and Port Vila in Vanuatu and Brisbane.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 4, 2025: Trading in the shares of Alliance Aviation Services Limited (Alliance Airlines) remains suspended this morning pending a market announcement, originally due to be made before the start of trading on November 4, 2025 (Sydney time).

Read the market filing here.

NOVEMBER 4, 2025: The Cook Islands Investment Corporation has appointed Edward Herman as chairperson of the Airport Authority Board. He replaces Patrick Arioka. Also appointed as Airport Authority Board directors are Talissa Koteka and Desmond Eggelton.

Read the news release here.

NOVEMBER 3, 2025: Christchurch Airport (CHC) is expecting a record-breaking international summer season, with international capacity 15% above last year and exceeding pre-Covid levels.

Read the news release here.