News Briefs from October 2025
OCTOBER 31, 2025: Alliance Aviation Services Limited, parent entity of Alliance Airlines, has entered an Australian Stock Exchange trading halt pending a significant announcement on or before the start of trading on November 4, 2025.
Read the stock exchange filing here.
OCTOBER 29, 2025: Western Sydney Airport (WSI) has held a multiagency emergency exercise ahead of its 2026 opening. The exercise involved a Coulson Aviation B737-300, operating for the NSW Rural Fire Service, which was the largest aircraft to date to land at the yet-to-open airport.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 28, 2025: Initial geotechnical activities for a greenfields airport on on Far East Vanikoro Island in the Solomon Islands'Temotu Province has started. The new airport will provide a safer, more reliable option for domestic flights from Honiara, benefiting nearby atolls like Utupua, Tikopia, and Anuta.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 28, 2025: The Cook Islands Airport Authority has secured leases for two parcel of land adjacent to Rarotonga International Airport (RAR), allowing the runway safety zone to be extended and helping it meet international aviation requirements.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 28, 2025: Avalon Airport (AVV) outside Melbourne has opened an AUD8 million freight processing facility. The 24-hour facility is capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo – a tenfold increase on current levels
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 27, 2025: Wellington Airport has announced its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 September 2025 with revenue growth of just under 4% to NZD94.4 million. International passenger numbers are up 6.7% from the same period last year, while domestic passenger numbers are down 4.7%. Total passenger numbers are down 3.1% to 2,520,103.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 27, 2025: As part of Perth Airport’s multi-billion-dollar investment program, an expansion and upgrade of Terminal 2 have commenced. The works include new self-service check in facilities, an expansion of the passenger screening facilities and departure lounge, and an extension to the baggage make-up hall.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 23, 2025: New Zealand's State-Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown has appointed Darin Cusack as chairperson and Danny Tuato’o as deputy chairperson of the country's Airways Corporation, which oversees air navigation services.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 22, 2025: Air New Zealand anticipates posting a NZD30 - 55 million (USD17.2 - 31.6 million) loss for the second half of 2026 due to an expected uplift in domestic and US bookings not materialising, as well as higher lease and carbon offsetting costs.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 22, 2025: Perth Airport has released its Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan (MDP) for its new terminal for public review and comment. The project, including terminal facilities, aprons and taxiways, will be one of the most complex projects undertaken in Perth.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 21, 2025: Ernst & Young have entered into a sale and implementation deed with Air T Inc., which will result in the sale and recapitalisation of Regional Express (Rex). No return to shareholders is expected.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 21, 2025: The Solomon Islands Ministry of Communication and Aviation has released tenders to rehabilitate airstrips at Atoifi (ATD) in Malaita Province and AvuAvu (AVU) on East Guadalcanal.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 21, 2025: Origin Air has commenced six times weekly Jetstream 32 round-trips between Blenheim (BHE) and Christchurch (CHC), replacing Sounds Air on the route.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 20, 2025: Air New Zealand has successfully operated an electric aircraft test flight. The cargo-configured BETA ALIA CX300 took off from Tauranga Airport on October 17, 2025, kicking off a four-month program of technical demonstrations for the airline.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 15, 2025: Fiji Airports has awarded the FJD8.1 million (USD3.55 million) contract for the upgrade of the baggage handling system at Nadi Airport (NAN) to Alstef Group.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 15, 2025: Igneo Infrastructure Partners has sold its 15.26% stake in Adelaide Airport (ADL) to existing Adelaide Airport shareholders UniSuper and IFM. The price was not disclosed.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 15, 2025: Gold Coast Airport (OOL) says its set a September passenger record last month, with over 560,000 passengers passing through the airport - 10% more than in September 2024.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 14, 2025: Qantas and Jetstar, both Qantas Group carriers, are now offering more seats (50% market share) on trans-Tasman routes than rival Air New Zealand (45%). The latter airline usually has the edge on Australia - New Zealand capacity.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 13, 2025: Niugini Ground Services (NGS) has ceased to act as PNG Air’s ground handling agent at Tokua (RAB) and Hoskins (HKN) airports. Only Buka (BUA) and Arawa ARAW) continue to operate under agency arrangements within the PNG Air network.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 13, 2025: Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister and minister responsible for Fiji Airways, Biman Prasad, says the search for the airline’s new CEO is ongoing. Incumbent CEO Andre Viljoen will will step down this month after 10 years in the role.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 10, 2025: The Australian Government is investing nearly AUD25 million in funding for upgrades at 42 remote airports through round 11 of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 10, 2025: A Fiji Airways B737-800 registered as DQ-FJN (msn 34969) remains on the ground at Christchurch Airport (CHC) after experiencing a bird strike incident while taking off there yesterday. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely.
Read the news report here.
OCTOBER 10, 2025: Air New Zealand has committed to buy 8000 tonnes of internationally verified, New Zealand nature-based carbon removals by 2030, in partnership with My Native Forest.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 8, 2025: The New Zealand Government has confirmed the appointment of a permanent 14-person Aviation Council to work on matters such as workforce pipeline issues, regulatory bottlenecks and infrastructure needs.
Read the news release here,
OCTOBER 8, 2025: The Nauru Government says work to replace the existing runway fencing at Nauru Airport (INU) will commence soon and will continue until next year. The work will not impact flight schedules.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 7, 2025: New Zealand's Commerce Commission has declined a request by Air New Zealand for an inquiry into airport regulation. Auckland Airport says it welcomes that decision.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 7, 2025: Brisbane Airport (BNE) expects a record 83,000 plus passengers to pass through its terminals on October 6, 2025, besting a record of 82,779 passengers set in late September.
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 6, 2025: Qantas has applied to Australia's International Air Services Commission for a 99 year renewal of Determination [2015] IASC 108 allocating unlimited capacity and frequency per week on the United Kingdom route, expiring 30 August 2026.
Read the application letter here.
OCTOBER 4, 2025: Air Niugini commenced A220-300 revenue flights today with a service between Port Moresby (POM) and Lae (LAE).
Read the news release here.
OCTOBER 3, 2025: Qantas has confirmed that it will close Qantaslink bases at Hobart (HBA), Canberra (CBR), and Mildura (MQL), taking effect in 2026.
Read the news article here.
OCTOBER 2, 2025: Guam-based Aero Micronesia, Inc (Asia Pacific Airlines) has applied to the US Department of Transportation for authority to fly property and mail between Guam (GUM) and Hong Kong (KKG) from October 27, 2025.
Read the application here.
OCTOBER 2, 2025: Royal Brunei Airlines will operate its final B787-9 charter to Rockhampton (ROK) today, flying out Singapore Armed Forces members participating the Project Wallaby military exercise.
Read further details here.
