OCTOBER 26, 2026: Aircalin will deploy its first A350-900 on regional routes to Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland from January as part of a familiarisation process before starting to use it on long-haul flights to Paris. The airline will also wet-lease another A330 over the upcoming southern summer season.

OCTOBER 23, 2026: Qantas will end A380-800 operations at Melbourne this weekend, switching all of its Los Angeles services to B787-9s. All ten Qantas A380s will be based in Sydney, leaving Singapore Airlines and Emirates as the only carriers operating the superjumbo through Melbourne, with no word on when, or if, Qantas A380s will be back.

OCTOBER 23, 2026: Chartair has retired its last Cessna 310 aircraft. The move is part of a fleet simplification strategy and future focus on larger propeller aircraft. Chartair's last active C310 ferried to New South Wales this week and, following a full refurbishment and repaint, will re-enter service with Air Link. 

OCTOBER 22, 2026: Air New Zealand’s passenger numbers fell 1% in the September quarter, but bigger capacity cuts helped lift load factors and boost revenue per available seat kilometre by 12.7% year-on-year. The airline is actively trimming operating costs but also selectively adding capacity and willing to experiment with new routes..

OCTOBER 22, 2026: The Acting CEO of Papua New Guinea’s National Airports Corporation says Nadzab Tomodachi Airport will become an international gateway, but passenger volumes need to grow to attract airlines. The airport has the runway length and facilities to handle international services and plans to introduce night operations could lift its appeal.

OCTOBER 21, 2026: The Supreme Court of NSW has fined former REX CEO and Chairman Lim Kim Hai $800,000 and banned him from managing corporations for four years after he admitted to continuous disclosure breaches and failing to meet his directors’ duties in the run up to the airline entering administration in mid-2024.

OCTOBER 21, 2026: Virgin Australia is chasing additional Indonesia flight capacity to launch Perth – Denpasar services and increase frequencies from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Its bid competes with a Qantas Group application for recently released extra capacity following an update to the Australia – Indonesia air services agreement.

OCTOBER 20, 2026: Air Vanuatu’s latest fleet addition, a rebuilt 51-year-old DHC-6-300 Twin Otter, has begun its ferry flight from Florida to Port Vila. The aircraft is one of two Twin Otters recently acquired by the Vanuatu government and rebuilt by Aviation Management Sales ahead of their handover.

OCTOBER 20, 2026: Air Tahiti staff are threatening an indefinite strike from October 22 over wages, bonuses, working conditions, equipment and staffing levels. Three unions have filed a strike notice covering ground and flight crews, although it remains uncertain whether the industrial action will proceed..

OCTOBER 19, 2026: Virgin Australia is preparing to place another B737 MAX order but says its single-fleet strategy limits regional expansion. Executives told a Australian Government Senate committee last week that they are likely to place a new order "in the near future." However, the airline remains reluctant to introduce a new regional fleet type.

OCTOBER 19, 2026: United Airlines has completed its transition to an all-B737-8 fleet at Guam ahead of schedule, replacing its ten former B737 800s. The newer aircraft offer the airline greater fuel efficiency, longer range, and potentially open up new network opportunities across the Southwest Pacific.

OCTOBER 16, 2026: Microflite Group will invest AUD13 million in three new aircraft for Tasmania’s Par Avion, including two Tecnam P2012 STOLs and a Cessna 206HD. Deliveries are expected by the end of 2027. The trio of aircraft will help refresh the airline’s fleet and operate flights into Tasmania’s south-west wilderness.

OCTOBER 16, 2026: Work to resurface and strengthen the runway at Albany Airport in Western Australia will start by the end of 2027. The $44.2 million project will also include taxiway improvements and airfield lighting works.

OCTOBER 15, 2026: Air Calédonie has been granted a six-month extension to finalise its recovery plan and avoid liquidation, with a new deadline of April 14, 2027. Meanwhile, Air Calédonie's CEO says business is solid across the airline's operating routes and is optimistic the carrier will survive.

OCTOBER 15, 2026: The ATSB has released its final report into an incident involving a Link Airways Saab 340B at Melbourne Airport in April. During a post-flight inspection, pilots saw a fracture in the inner rim of one wheels on its main landing gear. Part of the rim had also broken off.  The investigation noted the risks associated with an older wheel design.

OCTOBER 14, 2026: Air Niugini is taking on thirty airBaltic pilots for 12-months to support the airline’s growing A220 fleet and train local crew. The arrangement comes as airBaltic undergoes bankruptcy proceedings and its workforce faces job cuts. However, the union representing airBaltic pilots has raised questions about the arrangements.

OCTOBER 14, 2026: ASL Airlines Australia will end BAe 146 operations for Qantas Freight on 30 October 2026. The move marks the end of regular BAe 146 operations in Australia after National Jet Express retired its four 146s earlier this month. Qantas Freight will use its own A321-200P2Fs to replace the wet-leased BAe146s.

OCTOBER 13, 2026: De Havilland has acquired the world's oldest active DHC-8-100, a 42.5-year-aircraft operated by Skytrans Australia until July. The aircraft is currently ferrying from Cairns to Ontario for preservation following its acquisition and resale by local airline brokerage Air Pursuits.

OCTOBER 12, 2026: New Zealand’s Labour Party is proposing aviation reforms to boost regional airline competition, including requiring Air New Zealand to share airport infrastructure and making code sharing easier. The party also wants to curb some airline pricing practices, ban credit card surcharges and mandate automatic refunds for cancelled flights.

OCTOBER 12, 2026: The Government of Samoa wants to reopen Asau Airport following Samoa Airways resuming domestic flights to Maota after a 26-year absence. The government also plans to upgrade Asau Airport for international operations as part of a broader aviation revival that may include Samoa Airways operating jets to Australia and New Zealand.

OCTOBER 9, 2026: Qantas will end its codeshare with Air New Zealand in April 2027. The decision coincides with Virgin Australia seeking ACCC approval for a comprehensive trans-Tasman and domestic reciprocal partnership with the Kiwi carrier. 

OCTOBER 9, 2026: Air Vanuatu expects to receive its fifth DHC 6-300 Twin Otter this month as new CEO Philippe Busson focuses on rebuilding the airline. The carrier is also assessing options for a second ATR72-600 while working to improve reliability, control costs and expand its network.

OCTOBER 8, 2026: The Samoan Government is overhauling the management of Samoa Airways ahead of the planned resumption of jet operations and is advertising for a new CEO, COO and CFO. The government wants experienced aviation professionals to lead the carrier’s transition to jet aircraft and international services.

OCTOBER 8, 2026: Air Chathams CEO Duane Emeny says $5.7 million worth of new government grants for New Zealand’s regional airlines “isn’t a lolly scramble” but it will help carriers maintain services and cover direct operating costs.

OCTOBER 7, 2026: The ATSB is investigating a near collision west of Townsville involving a Skytrans Australia DHC-8-100 and an Aeroprakt A22LS. The aircraft came within 550 metres of each other before the Dash 8 received a TCAS alert and commenced a rapid descent

OCTOBER 7, 2026: Air Tahiti has brought forward the launch of its all-business class ATR72-600 service to November 11. The 26-seat aircraft will initially operate five weekly flights between Papeete, Bora Bora and Raiatea, targeting premium travellers visiting French Polynesia’s resorts.

OCTOBER 6, 2026: Nauru Airlines is acquiring a former Virgin Australia B737-800 after securing a USD15 million ADB financing package. The 14-year-old aircraft will replace an older jet, improving fuel efficiency, reliability and passenger capacity.

OCTOBER 6, 2026: Malaysia Airlines has become the sixth largest international airline in Australia by passenger numbers, with its market share rising from 2.5% to 3.9% in a year. Passenger numbers increased 54.2% as the carrier benefits from strong demand and increased capacity on Australian routes.

OCTOBER 5, 2026: Qantas Group has applied for 4,539 additional weekly seats in each direction between Australia and Indonesia. It is seeking to launch flights from Brisbane and Western Sydney to Denpasar, and Perth to Jakarta, while increasing Melbourne - Jakarta services to daily.

OCTOBER 5, 2026: Fiji Airways will expand its international network in 2027, launching a new route and increasing frequencies on four others. The changes will add around 125,000 annual seats as the airline seeks to capture rising demand while making greater use of its existing fleet.

OCTOBER 2, 2026: TAIC has identified systemic safety issues after an Air New Zealand Q300 descended below the minimum safe altitude at Timaru in 2023. The investigation found weaknesses involving flight-system design, crew training, safety culture and regulatory oversight, with seven of nine issues addressed.

OCTOBER 1, 2026: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found Sydney Airport recorded the highest rate of aircraft confliction occurrences among Australia’s five busiest airports, prompting increased scrutiny of runway safety, air traffic control staffing and fatigue risks as investigations continue.

OCTOBER 1, 2026: Air Oceania is ending its daily Lifou service but increasing flights to Maré and Ouvéa through February 2027. The network changes come as Air Calédonie continues to face restrictions on services to Maré and Ouvéa amid an ongoing dispute over its move to La Tontouta Airport.