AUGUST 31, 2026: French Polynesian start-up Motu Link Airline hopes to resume flights by mid-September after its sole ATR72-500F was damaged while been towed in June. The carrier is also seeking a second ATR72 freighter as it looks to expand its domestic network and launch international services.

AUGUST 31, 2026: New Caledonia’s top prosecutor has warned protesters they could face criminal charges if they resume blockading Lifou Island Airport this week. The warning comes as a local traditional leaders clash over the decision to restart the blockade and battle for control of the protesters.

AUGUST 28, 2026: Japan Airlines and ZIPAIR have urged the US Government to keep Midway Atoll Airport available as an ETOPS alternate, warning its loss would severely affect trans-Pacific operations. The carriers say the remote airport is critical for flights between Japan, Hawaii and mainland North America.

AUGUST 28, 2026: The Qantas Group has posted an AUD1.29 billion after-tax profit despite increased fuel costs and weaker business travel. The airline also confirmed it will bring forward its first A380 retirements to FY28 as new A350s and B787s start to join the fleet.

AUGUST 27, 2026: Alliance Airlines is raising AUD40.1 million through an institutional placement and entitlement offer to cut debt and top up working capital. News of the capital raising came on the same day that Alliance announced an underlying profit before tax of AUD38.2 million for the year ending June 30, 2026.

AUGUST 27, 2026: Search and rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate an Air Frontier Beechcraft Baron that crashed into the Gulf of Carpentaria on Tuesday. The pilot, the aircraft’s sole occupant, remains missing as police, divers, aircraft, and marine vessels scour the remote region for wreckage.

AUGUST 26, 2026: Air Vanuatu’s sole ATR72-600 is returning to service after an engine change in Cairns. The aircraft ferried back to Port Vila yesterday, August 25, and will shortly resume domestic flights. Its absence required Air Vanuatu to wet-lease a Twin Otter from Solomon Airlines to maintain its schedules.

AUGUST 26, 2026: Originair will end its twice-weekly Wellington - Westport flights this week as a three-month support package expires. CEO Robert Inglis says the airline cannot continue operating the loss-making route without government or regional assistance and is seeking changes to an existing aviation support scheme.

AUGUST 25, 2026: Aircalin has wet-leased a Wamos Air A330-300 after simultaneous technical problems with its two A330-900s caused chaos with cascading flight cancellations and delays. The Wamos A330 flew to Nouméa late last week and was operating Aircalin revenue flights with 24 hours of arrival.

AUGUST 24, 2026: 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..

AUGUST 24, 2026: 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 an upgraded runway, with the government eyeing future international flights from Brisbane to boost tourism.

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.

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.

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.

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.

AUGUST 19, 2026: 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.

AUGUST 19, 2026: 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.

AUGUST 18, 2026: 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.

AUGUST 18, 2026: 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.

AUGUST 17, 2026: 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.

AUGUST 17, 2026: An MAF International Cessna 172 made a forced landing on a remote Queensland road after experiencing engine problems during an August 16 training flight from Winton to Mareeba. The single engine aircraft landed safety at about 1.00pm (local time) on the Kennedy Development Road around 22 kilometres south of Lyndhurst.

AUGUST 14, 2026: Australia has gifted two airport firefighting vehicles to Naoero after equipment failures forced Nauru Airlines to suspend flights. Services resumed on August 10 following the arrival of interim firefighting equipment, with the new trucks arriving this week set to bolster safety at the country's only airport.

AUGUST 14, 2026: A new terminal has opened at Chathams Islands Airport (CHT), capping a major airport infrastructure upgrade. Meanwhile, Air Chathams has expanded its interline agreement with Air New Zealand. Passengers can now book single journeys connecting the remote islands with Air New Zealand's domestic network.

AUGUST 13, 2026: Melbourne Airport's draft Master Plan 2027 outlines a long-term vision that includes a fifth terminal and four-runway "hashtag" layout. With the airport expecting passenger numbers to double to 75 million by 2046/47, the upcoming Master Plan is shaping up as blueprint to guide that growth.

AUGUST 12, 2026: Air Moana will launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise $5.7 million as it seeks fresh capital to support its operations. The move follows a Papeete court overturning a government decision to extend the privately owned airline a loan and provide other guarantees.

AUGUST 12, 2026: The Western Australia Police Force Air Wing has taken delivery of a new Pilatus PC-24 business jet, giving the agency the ability to rapidly deploy personnel and equipment across the 2.5 million square kilometre state. The aircraft is expected to enter operational service in the coming weeks.

AUGUST 11, 2026: Australia's Federal Transport Minister Catherine King has told Airservices Australia that ongoing air traffic control disruptions at Sydney Airport are unacceptable. Her intervention follows days of delays, two serious ground incidents and growing industry concern over persistent controller shortages.

AUGUST 11, 2026: New Caledonia's new President has travelled to the Loyalty Islands in a bid to end airport blockades that have disrupted Air Calédonie services for months. While both sides agreed to continue talks, protesters remain opposed to the airline's relocation from Nouméa's Magenta Airport.

AUGUST 10, 2026: Alliance Airlines has clarified its revised Qantas wet-lease agreement after an ASX query triggered a trading halt. The airline says the deal, together with organisational changes, is expected to significantly improve profitability and has forecast stronger earnings for FY2027.

AUGUST 10, 2026: A Niugini Aviation P-750 XSTOL burst a landing gear tyre while landing at Goroka Airport last week, resulting in a runway closure and a PNG Air flight diversion. However, the aircraft was recovered swiftly and resumed flying within 48 hours.

AUGUST 7, 2026: Queensland Airports Limited has reported 6.2% passenger growth to 8.4 million travellers in the year to June 30, 2026, more than double the national average. Strong demand at Coolangatta Gold Coast Airport drove the increase, while Townsville also recorded solid gains

AUGUST 6, 2026: Alliance Airlines has renegotiated its wet-lease agreement with Qantas, securing higher rates but reducing the number of E190s leased from 30 to 23. The revised deal is aimed at improving long-term profitability after the original arrangement weighed heavily on the Alliance's finances.

AUGUST 6, 2026: A specialist recovery team from Canada is heading to American Samoa to retrieve Samoa Airways' damaged Twin Otter from Fitiuta Airport. The recovery operation could take up to three months following the aircraft's runway excursion on July 28.

AUGUST 5, 2026: Aircalin is introducing new maintenance measures to reduce recurring A330-900 disruptions, including carrying additional engine spare parts on flights and partnering with Corsair in Paris. The airline expects the arrival of two A350-900s to further improve reliability over the longer term.

AUGUST 5, 2026: Air Moana says it is on track to become profitable within two to three years after strong growth in revenue and passenger numbers during the first half of 2026. The airline is also renewing its fleet with new ATR72-600XTs as it continues to recover from earlier financial difficulties.

AUGUST 4, 2026: The United States Government is considering whether to spend more than USD100 million upgrading Midway Atoll Airport to maintain its ETOPS role. While diversions to the remote Pacific airfield are rare, it plays a critical safety role for trans-Pacific flights.

AUGUST 4, 2026: The Qantas Group believes Western Sydney Airport will primarily serve leisure travellers, with business travellers continuing to favour Sydney Airport's superior flight frequencies and international connections. As a result, the airline expects only limited market cannibalisation.

AUGUST 3, 2026: Air Marshall Islands has taken delivery of its second Cessna 408 SkyCourier. The brand-new plane arrived at Majuro late last week having flown from Las Vegas via Santa Maria and Honolulu over six days between July 25 and 31. The aircraft will help bolster the carrier's inter-island network

AUGUST 3, 2026: A Perth Airport executive says restrictive bilateral air services agreements are limiting international growth, with airlines prioritising Australia's east coast. The airport is calling for more open skies agreements to boost competition, attract new services and expand international connectivity.