JANUARY 30, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Airport boss flags Port Vila Bauerfield terminal upgrade
The 1990’s era passenger terminal at Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport could be upgraded to handle increase passenger numbers. Vanuatu Airports Limited CEO Jason Rakau says the work should start later this year after scoping and design work is done and the funding gets locked in.
JANUARY 29, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Jetstar kicks off B787-8 cabin refurbishment project
Jetstar has sent a B787-8 to Hong Kong for a cabin refurbishment. The aircraft, VH-VKK (msn 36237) ferried up from Melbourne (MEL) on January 26, 2026. The flight is a first step in a project that will see all eleven Jetstar B787-8s refurbished by the end of the year.
JANUARY 29, 2026. SOLOMON ISLANDS
Matthew Findlay appointed CEO of Solomon Airlines
Matthew Findlay will become the new Solomon Airlines CEO, effective February 16, 2026. Findlay is currently the director of global markets at Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting. He will take over from interim Solomon Airlines CEO Paul Abbot, who has manned the hot seat since the departure of Sean Te'o in mid-2025.
JANUARY 28, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Melbourne Airport’s seven-month night-time Runway 09/27 closure
Melbourne Airport is closing its 2,286 metre east-west runway at night for up to seven months to enable “once-in-a-decade” maintenance work to occur. The closure took effect from January 21, 2026, and sees single-runway operations happening between 10.00pm and 6.00am.
JANUARY 28, 2026. FIJI
New legislation to tidy up aviation oversight in Fiji
Seven years after ICAO raised concerns following an aviation audit, the Fijian Government will introduce a bill to resolve them. According to a recently released public consultation notice, the proposed Civil Aviation Bill (2026), will modernise, consolidate, and improve the country’s civil aviation regulatory framework.
JANUARY 27, 2026. NORTHEN MARIANA ISLANDS
CNMI’s Star Marianas Air targets CPA with new FAA complaint
EXCLUSIVE: Saipan-based Star Marianas Air has escalated its long-running legal stoush with local airport operator, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, by lodging a Part 16 Complaint with the FAA. The complaint alleges the CPA has systematically failed to abide by federal statutory and grant assurances since2009.
JANUARY 27, 2026. TIMOR-LESTE
Aero Dili starts weekly Dili – Fuzhou flights
EXCLUSIVE: Aero Dili has started scheduled passenger flights to Fuzhou (FOC). It is the Timor-Leste based airline’s second destination in Mainland China and highlights the deepening economic relationship between the two countries.
JANUARY 26, 2026. NEW ZEALAND
Auckland Airport expects Chinese New Year travel spike
Auckland Airport says the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year period will see some airlines increase capacity to the airport. Six airlines operate scheduled passenger services between Auckland and China. These airlines typically average 35 flights per week over the year, but this will spike 18% across January and February.
JANUARY 26, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Virgin Australia eyes China Southern code share to NZ, Vanuatu
A Virgin Australia Group company, Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd, has applied to Australia’s International Air Services Commission for permission to code share with China Southern Airlines on flights between Australia and New Zealand and Australia and Vanuatu.
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JANUARY 20, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Qantas snaps up three E190s for FIFO flying, more on the way
Qantas has secured three mid-life E190-100s that will work fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) contracts and regular passenger transport services within Western Australia.
JANUARY 20, 2026. SOLOMON ISLANDS
Solomon Airlines scales up its international network
Solomon Airlines will increase frequencies on existing international routes and debut two new routes in the first half of 2026. The airline will start flights to Port Moresby in neighbouring Papua New Guinea on March 31, 2026, as well as twice weekly flights between Port Vila and Christchurch on July 1.
January 2026 Aircraft Movements
JANUARY 19, 2026. AUSTRALIA
Qantas to start flying the A220-300 from Adelaide
Qantas will start flying the A220-300 on the Adelaide (ADL) – Brisbane (BNE) city pair on March 3, 2026. It will be the first time Qantas has operated the aircraft type out of Adelaide and it happens one year after the airline first put the regional jets into service.
JANUARY 19, 2025. FRENCH POLYNESIA
Lionel Guérin tapped as Air Tahiti Nui’s new CEO
Lionel Guérin will become the new CEO of Air Tahiti Nui. A draft decree has submitted to the French Polynesian Government’s Budgetary and Financial Control Committee, which is expected to tick off on the appointment early this week.