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Virgin cuts Uluru fares

9 March 2010 Just one day after announcing daily direct flights between Sydney and Ayers Rock/Uluru, the airline has cut a further $20 from its already heavily discounted fares.

Virgin heads to the Rock

8 March 2010 Virgin Blue has announced details of its latest domestic destination – Ayers Rock/Uluru.

PacBlue to fly Brisbane-Queenstown

5 March 2010 Pacific Blue will launch new flights from Brisbane directly into the New Zealand ski capital of Queenstown.

Etihad-ANA codeshare comes into service

5 March 2010 Tourism between Japan and Abu Dhabi has been given a boost with a new codeshare between Etihad Airways’ and ANA coming into service.

QantasLink adds to central Queensland

5 March 2010 QantasLink is set to increase services to Mackay and Rockhampton in Central Queensland from 6 April 2010.

AirAsia upgrades call centre

4 March 2010 AirAsia has undertaken a comprehensive upgrade of its call centre services that will see it provide a 24-hour self-help option and drastically shorten call waiting time.

4 March 2010 Qantas is again at loggerheads with its unions, with airline management today rejecting union claims that the airline had discriminated against a group of temporary female workers who had been employed in the airline’s Sydney airport operations.

AirAsia launches The Big Sale

3 March 2010 AirAsia’s has relaunched its ‘Big Sale’ promotion with flights starting from $4 from Kuala Lumpur.

Beijing joins Emirates A380 network

3 March 2010 Emirates is expanding its Airbus A380 network to include Beijing, with new Dubai-Beijing-Dubai super-jumbo services scheduled to commence from 1 August 2010.

SIA adds new cabins to more routes

2 March 2010 Singapore Airlines’ is expanding routes operated by its new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, featuring the airline’s latest product and service offerings, with the Middle East, West Asia and North Asia set to come online.

LAN delays arrivals to Santiago

1 March 2010 LAN Airlines is continuing to operate selected flights on its network in the wake of the powerful earthquake which struck Chile yesterday.

Hawaiian restores Pacific flights

1 March 2010 Hawaiian Airlines has restored flights from Honolulu to Hilo Airport, on the Big Island of Hawaii, following the tsunami warning overnight Australian time.

Qantas adds Sydney and Melbourne to Karratha

1 March 2010 Qantas has expanded its support to the north west Australian mining town of Karratha with new flights from Melbourne and Sydney.

Air NZ earnings up

25 February 2010 Air New Zealand has announced its half-year performance results, with normalised earnings before taxation up by NZ$70 million on the same period last year.

Low cost airlines flying into profit

26 February 2010 The worst fears of full service airlines has been realized – Asia’s ultra-low cost airlines are making money.

Tiger Airways moves into profit

26 February 2010 Tiger Airways has turned the corner and is now writing a profit, according to the carrier’s president and chief executive, Tony Davis.

Qantas increases capacity to Japan

25 February 2010 Qantas will increase capacity to Japan from July 2010, with the deployment of a two-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft on selected flights between Sydney and Tokyo Narita.

Tiger flies for taxes only

25 February 2010 Tiger Airways has launched a new promotion flying for free, with passengers paying taxes only.

Qantas launches new sustainability project

25 February 2010 Qantas says its latest sustainability innovation will break new ground in energy efficiency when it launches tri-generation power at three of its Sydney facilities.

Virgin Blue reports $62.5 million profit

24 February 2010 Virgin Blue Holdings has reported a half-year net profit after tax of $62.5 million for the group for the six months to 31 December 2009.

India’s Kingfisher joins oneworld

24 February 2010 India's leading domestic carrier, Kingfisher Airlines, has signed an agreement to join the oneworld alliance.

Philippine Airlines launches B777 from Australia

24 February 2010 Philippine Airlines has set new standards for flights between Manila and Australia with the debut of its brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft serving Sydney and Melbourne this week.

New VS-HA option for RTW

23 February 2010 Virgin Atlantic and Hawaiian Airlines have launched a joint round-the-world airfare enabling passengers from Australia to fly around the world via some of the world’s most exotic destinations.

Qantaslink boosts capacity for Queensland

23 February 2010 QantasLink has announced an expanded flying schedule from 6 April across regional Queensland, as the airline takes delivery of its 20th Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Lufthansa reshapes schedules for strike

22 February 2010 A strike by Lufthansa pilots has thrown the airline’s schedules into chaos, with management making adjustments to flight schedule through until Thursday 25 February.

Skywest restarts Kalgoorlie-Melbourne directs

22 February 2010 Skywest Airlines is set to recommence its direct services between Kalgoorlie and Melbourne-Tullamarine from 5 February 2010.

Lufthansa pilots set to strike

19 February 2009 The German pilot's union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has called on Lufthansa pilots to participate in a four-day walkout from 22 to 25 February.

Etihad reschedules Dhaka flights

19 February 2010 Etihad Airways has rescheduled flights to and from Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to ensure better flight connections with Etihad destinations in Western Europe and North America.

Etihad adds capacity to Manchester

19 February 2010 Etihad Airways is set increase capacity by close to 60 percent on its Manchester services from June, upgrading its current two-class A330-200 aircraft to a two-class B777-300.

Air Austral fixes fares for 2010

19 February 2010 Reunion Island-based airline, Air Austral has launched a new round of year-round fares from Sydney to leverage on growing demand for the popular island destination.

Philippine Airlines brings in B777

18 February 2010 Philippine Airlines will deploy its brand new Boeing 777-300ER onto the Australia route earlier than planned with the all-new aircraft to serve Sydney and Melbourne from 20 February.

Tiger sells two-for-one fares

18 February 2010 Tiger Airways has launched its latest fare specials with a promotion offering two airfares for the price of one.

Qantas revenues down but still in black

18 February 2010 Despite a revenue decline of 13 percent, Qantas has reported a statutory profit before tax (PBT) of $90 million for the six months ended 31 December 2009.

Hawaiian files for Honolulu-Tokyo service

17 February 2010 Hawaiian Airlines has taken a significant step toward expanding its international route network by filing an application with the US Department of Transportation for approval to introduce nonstop flights between Honolulu and Tokyo’s Haneda international airport.

Virgin flies back into black

17 February 2010 Virgin Blue has made a dramatic turnaround over the past 12 months with the company upgrading its profit forecast for the 2009-10 financial year.

AirAsia cuts 20 percent off fares

17 February 2010 AirAsia has slashed 20 percent off fares to more than 65 destinations in Malaysia and beyond to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Pacific Blue opens Wellingon lounge

16 February 2010 Pacific Blue Corporate Plus Guests and Velocity Gold members will have complimentary use of Wellington Airport’s new lounge from today.

Port Lincoln gets first QantasLink flight

15 February 2010 QantasLink has welcomed its first flight between Adelaide and Port Lincoln, marking the regional airline’s expansion into South Australia.

Etihad secures more flights to Australia

12 February 2010 Etihad Airways has successfully secured additional flights into Australia, with the carrier adding seven additional weekly flight frequencies from its Abu Dhabi home-base.

AirAsia title sponsor for MotoGP

11 February 2010 AirAsia has signed an agreement securing the airline as title sponsor of the 2010 AirAsia British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which will race on 18-20 June.

Cathay Pacific to fly to Moscow

11 February 2010 Cathay Pacific has announced plans to operate a service between Hong Kong and Moscow, with the airline in the process of applying to authorities for airport and flight approvals.

AirAsia and VietJet form new LCC

11 February 2010 AirAsia has acquired a 30 percent equity stake in Vietnam-based airline, VietJet Air, and will now expand the relationship with the creation of a Vietnam-based joint venture low-cost airline which will carry the name VietJet AirAsia.

United releases $1100 fares to USA

11 February 2010 United Airlines has launched the latest round of trans-Pacific fares with lead in economy class prices from $1103 including taxes between Melbourne and LA.

QantasLink announces Hotham winter schedule

10 February 2010 QantasLink has confirmed it will begin its 2010 ski season schedule between Sydney and Mt Hotham on 25 June.

Qantas chases more domestic business travellers

9 February 2010 Qantas has launched the second phase of its domestic business campaign as it strives to rebuild its premium cabin traffic.

Hawaiian reports best ever result

9 February 2010 Hawaiian Airlines parent company has reported a strong performance for the company in what was a very testing year.

Latest figures show huge jump for LAN

9 February 2010 LAN Airlines is seeing the tangible results of its network expansion with growth in key indicators including passenger numbers and seat load factors.

AirAsia resumes flights to Tianjin

5 February 2010 AirAsia has resumed its flights between Kuala Lumpur and the Northern China city of Tianjin, following the temporary suspension of its services in November 2009 when adverse weather conditions in the region affected flying.

Virgin Blue forecasts return to profit

5 February 2010 Increased passengers and revenues has seen Virgin Blue amend its 2009-10 profit guidance following new forecasts which expect the airline to report a Net Profit before Tax and Exceptional Items for the 2010 financial year of between $80-$110 million.

Etihad Airways launches Japan services

5 February 2010 Etihad Airways has commenced operations to Japan with the launch of a new Nagoya-Abu Dhabi service.

Virgin opens Perth lounge

5 February 2010 Virgin Blue has opened its much-anticipated “The Lounge” facility in Perth’s domestic airport.

LAN heads to San Francisco

4 February 2010 LAN Airlines affiliate, LAN Peru, will begin new flights between Lima, Peru and San Francisco from 1 July 2010.

SIA upgrades B777-200 cabins

4 February 2010 Singapore Airlines will be introducing new cabin products on some of its Boeing 777-200 aircraft from later this month.

Tiger orders more aircraft

4 February 2010 Tiger Airways has concluded another advance delivery agreement with Airbus, signing the deal at this week’s Singapore Air Show 2010.

Virgin set for World Cup

3 February 2010 With V Australia set to launch flights to South Africa from mid-March, soccer fans will be able to take advantage of the new route just in time to see the 2010 FIFA World Cup when the whistle blows for the first match on 11 June 2010.

SIA flies back into profit

3 February 2010 Singapore Airlines Group has completed its turnaround, reporting a return to profitability in the third quarter of the financial year, with a net profit of $404 million.

CX adds to Seoul and Mumbai

3 February 2010 Cathay Pacific has added to its services to Seoul and Mumbai, via its Hong Kong hub.

Air France-KLM extend Amadeus distribution agreement

3 February 2010 Global technology provider, Amadeus, has extended its full content agreement with the Air France - KLM, airline group.

Jetstar launches new Singapore-China flights

2 February 2010 Jetstar has moved its international operations further afield with the commencement of new flights between Singapore and Shantou, situated in China’s Guangdong province.

Qantas commences Darwin-Canberra direct

1 February 2010 Qantas has today commenced its inaugural Darwin-Canberra direct services.

Asia-Pacific becomes world’s biggest air market

1 February 2010 The Asia-Pacific region has become the world’s largest aviation market, surpassing the once-dominant US, according to the latest figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Emirates extends partnership with Western Force

1 February 2010 Emirates has extended its naming rights partnership with the Perth-based Super 14 team, Emirates Western Force, for a further three seasons.

LAN sends Haiti aid

1 February 2010 Florida-based LAN CARGO has committed its resources to assist aid efforts in Haiti with the dispatch of a B767-300 freighter carrying around 48 tons of relief cargo, including medical supplies, portable toilets and water from local and national organisations.

Changi Airport and Jetstar Group sign air hub deal

29 January 2010 Changi Airport Group (CAG) and Jetstar have signed a partnership agreement that will see Jetstar continue to make Singapore Changi Airport its largest air hub in Asia for short and long haul operations.

New combo deals with Etihad

28 January 2010 Etihad Airways has launched a special combo-offer for lng-haul flights connection through Abu Dhabi.

Delta to spend US$1 billion on new cabins and service

28 January 2010 Delta Air Lines is set to invest US$1 billion to improve its customer experience in the air and on the ground.

Air NZ launches lie-flat economy seats

27 January 2010 Air New Zealand continues to build its reputation as one of the leading airline innovators with the launch of the world’s first lie-flat economy seat.

Qantas claims ontime crown

22 January 2010 The release of the latest on-time performance data by the Federal Government’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has seen Qantas claim to be the industry leader.

New model for UK regional air travel launched

22 January, 2010 Despite the tough times being endured by many airlines, a new operator is emerging in the UK, with plans to change the face of regional air travel.

QantasLink boosts capacity for regional NSW

21 January 2010 QantasLink has confirmed it will expand its flying schedule across regional NSW ports from March 2010, following the delivery of its latest 74-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Hawaiian A330 tipped for April

21 January 2010 Hawaiian Airlines first new Airbus A330-200 aircraft is in the final stages of production and on target for its April delivery.

Airport works force Mauritius schedule change

20 January 2010 Scheduled runway works at Perth Airport has forced schedule changes for two Air Mauritius flights - MK942 and Mk943 on 15/16 February and 22/23 February.

Japan Airlines seeks bankruptcy protection

20 January 2010 Japan Airlines has finally faced its inevitable future, with the carrier filing for bankruptcy protection.

Qantas adds A380 to Melbourne-London

20 January 2010 Qantas has again expanded its Airbus A380 network with the commencement of new flights between Melbourne and London.

More islands for Virgin

20 January 2010 Virgin Blue is expanding its west coast network with new flights to Christmas island and Cocos Keeling islands to commence from 1 April.

SIA slowing the decline

19 January 2010 Passenger loads are still in decline for Singapore Airlines, but there are some positive signs reflected in the airline’s December operating statistics.

SWISS named best for North America Business

18 January 2010 Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has been named “Best Business Class to North and South America” in this year’s Business Traveller Awards, with German readers also voting the carrier as “Best Airline for Europe”.

Viva Macau waives bag-check fee for Australia

15 January 2010 Viva Macau Airlines will waive bag-check fees for flights to and from Australia effective from 1 February.

SIA to fly A380 into Zurich

15 January 2010 Singapore Airlines is expanding its A380 superjumbo network with new flights between Singapore and Zurich to commence from 28 March 2010.

Qantas defends Jetstar Pacific safety

14 January 2010 Qantas chief executive officer, Alan Joyce, said he remained confident the airline’s investment in Vietnam's Jetstar Pacific and its maintenance and safety record were sound.

BA names new head for South-West Pacific

14 January 2010 British Airways has named Nicole Backo as the new head of its South-West Pacific operations and Regional Commercial Manager.

Pacific Blue ends 2009 on a high

14 January 2010 Pacific Blue finished 2009 with one of its best ever on-time performance results, reporting that 96.5 percent of its domestic flights departed on time during December.

Feathers fly over new Air NZ uniform

14 January 2010 Only days after launching its new cabin crew uniform, Air New Zealand is under fire with some crew suggesting it looks like a drag queen outfit.

New SIA team for Queensland

14 January 2010 Singapore Airlines has announced a new Queensland management team which will be headed by Matthew Raos, who will serve in the role of Singapore Airlines Manager Queensland. Andrew Soo has been named as the airline’s sales manager for the state.

Viva Macau adds to Melbourne and suspends Sydney flights

13 January 2010 Just weeks after commencing its Melbourne services, Viva Macau Airlines has announced it will increase its frequencies with a third weekly flight between Melbourne and Macau, commencing 28 March 2010.

Gate to gate movies a winner for Air NZ

13 January 2010 Air New Zealand is winning the hearts and eyes of travellers with its entertainment policy which allows travellers to access their seat-back entertainment systems from the time they push-back from the departure gate until the time they pull up at their destination.

Big air boost for Queenstown

13 January 2010 Air New Zealand will increase its trans-Tasman capacity between Australia and Queenstown by a further 20 percent this coming ski season.

Tiger carries three million passengers

12 January 2010 Low cost airline, Tiger Airways Australia has reached a major milestone today, carrying its three millionth passenger.

BA re-signs with Amadeus

12 January 2010 Global technology provider, Amadeus, has signed a three-year extension of its content agreement with British Airways, which will see the companies align through to 2013.

Passenger numbers grow on LAN

12 January 2010 LAN Airlines is rebounding from the GFC with strong results posted in its latest operating statistics.

Etihad launches new iphone application

11 January 2010 Etihad Airways has launched a new Apple iPhone application for members of its award-winning loyalty programme, Etihad Guest.

Hawaiian Airlines sets passenger record

11 January 2010 Hawaiian Airlines has reported a system-wide growth in revenue and passengers for 2009.

Viva Macau teams with City of Dreams

11 January 2010 Viva Macau Airlines has joined forces with City of Dreams to offer exclusive privileges for passengers travelling to Macau.

Boeing achieves 2009 delivery target

8 January 2010 Despite one of the toughest financial and operating environments on record, Boeing met its delivery targets, recording recorded 481 commercial airplane deliveries in 2009 - matching the company’s guidance of 480-485 airplanes.

Airport upgrades force flight cancellation

7 January 2010 Scheduled works to upgrade the main runway at Perth Airport are set to disrupt South African Airways flights on Saturdays over coming months.

Jetstar and AirAsia form low-cost alliance

6 January Jetstar and AirAsia have joined forces to create a new alliance that will reduce costs, pool expertise and ultimately result in cheaper fares for both carriers.

New Year sale for Emirates

5 January 2010 Emirates has wasted no time to launch its first sale of the year, with special New Year fares from Perth to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Business class companion deals from THAI

5 December Thai Airways International has launched a promotional sale on its business class seats into Asia and Europe.

Emirates flies same day to Europe from four ports

4 January 2010 Emirates has commenced a third daily Sydney service to Dubai, allowing passengers same-day-to-Europe service from all four major ports, everyday of the week.

Qantas restores Adelaide and Brisbane capacity

31 December Improving demand has seen Qantas plan capacity increases across a range of domestic routes from 29 March 2010.

SIA makes further capacity adjustments

30 December With positive signs of a recovery in demand continuing to be seen, Singapore Airlines has begun to make a number of changes to its route network in the coming months, which will include frequency increases on several routes.

LAN takes on more A320s

24 December LAN Airlines is expanding its Airbus A320 fleet with a contract to purchase 30 more of the popular aircraft, between 2011 and 2016.

Qantas increases Melbourne A380s

24 December Qantas will increase its A380 services from Melbourne following the delivery of the airlines fifth and sixth A380 aircraft.

SIA to fly to Munich

18 December Singapore Airlines has confirmed it will begin direct services from Singapore to Munich, Germany from 28 March 2010.

China Southern extends daily flights from Sydney

17 December China Southern Airlines will extend its daily Sydney operations from the peak Christmas-New Year period until the end of March, 2010, to accommodate continued strong demand.

Locals jump on $40 fares

15 December QantasLink has been overwhelmed by the response of the Port Lincoln community, with 400 $40 seats sold out in less than four hours.

Tiger celebrates new Sydney-Gold Coast flights

15 December Tiger Airways has expanded its domestic network yet again with the launch of its much-anticipated Sydney – Gold Coast flights.

Qantas increases international fares

15 December Qantas will increase its international fares from 18 December on a number of selected routes.

Etihad joins sustainable fuel group

15 December Etihad Airways has shown its environmental credentials by joining the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) - an airline-led industry working group established in 2008 to accelerate the commercialisation and availability of sustainable biofuels.

UA puts New York business fares on sale

14 December United Airlines has slashed its trans-Pacific business class fares with great deals to Los Angeles and new York from under $6000.

Emirates banks US$1.13 billion for new A380s

14 December Reinforcing its strong financial position, Emirates has raised over US$1.13 billion for the financing of six new Airbus A380 aircraft.

Jetstar increases services from Melbourne Airport

11 December Jetstar has confirmed it will increase its Melbourne capacity with an additional 35 services per week.

Air NZ commences Sydney-Rotorua this weekend

11 December Air New Zealand will begin its inaugural direct air services between Sydney and Rotorua tomorrow.

Qantas opens new security for Perth

11 December Qantas has unveiled a new security screening facility at its domestic terminal in Perth, as part of the airline’s $75 million terminal upgrade program.

Viva Macau arrives in Melbourne

11 December Viva Macau airlines has expanded its Australian network with the launch of new direct services between Melbourne and Macau.

Qantas launches inflight recycling

11 December Qantas continues to increase its environmental commitments with the launch of a new domestic onboard recycling program.

Etihad extends Kathmandu

9 December Etihad Airways will increase its Abu Dhabi-Kathmandu services from four to seven flights per week from January 2010.

Phuket gets more flights

9 December Phuket continues to attract more Australian flights with Pacific Blue and V Australia now operating onto the island and Jetstar increasing its frequencies to five per week during the peak summer season.

SWISS to serve San Francisco in 2010

8 December San Francisco is to become SWISS’s latest long-haul destination, with six flights per week from Zurich commencing from 2 June 2010.

LAN named best for Latin America

8 December LAN Airlines has again been selected ‘Best Airline in Central/South America and the Caribbean’ at the annual Airline Industry Awards presented by Official Airline Guide (OAG).

SAA extends Earlybird fares to 18 December

7 December South African Airways (SAA) has announced it has extended its Africa and European Earlybird campaign until 18 December.

QantasLink increases seats to Tasmania

7 December QantasLink is to increase capacity into its Devonport and Launceston markets, from 1 February 2010, following the delivery of new Q400 turboprop aircraft.

Garuda flies back to Europe

7 December After a five year absence, Garuda Indonesia will return to Europe from 1 June 2010.

Qatar quickest to London

7 December The arrival of Qatar Airways inaugural flight into Melbourne has signalled the start of non-stop direct services from Melbourne to Doha and beyond, with the airline stating its Arabian Peninsula hub and speedy connections make it the quickest way to get to London.

Qantas flies new green flight technology

3 December Qantas has commenced deployment of a new navigation and flight management system that will save fuel and cut carbon emissions.

Qantas flies new A330-200

2 December Qantas has introduced its brand new A330-200 aircraft onto its domestic network today.

Jetstar names Osaka date

1 December Jetstar is to launch flights between Cairns and the western Japan city of Osaka from 1 April 2010.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner prepares for test flight

1 December Boeing has moved its exciting B787 project a step closer to its first test flight following the completion of a ‘static-test’ yesterday.

Pandas prefer SIA

30 November Adelaide has taken delivery of its two visiting giant pandas, Wang Wang and Funi, which touched down at Adelaide Airport over the weekend.

Etihad adopts fuel-saving flight plan systems

26 November Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced an agreement with aviation IT specialist Lufthansa Systems which will see the airline use the industry-leading flight planning solution Lido/Flight.

AirAsia flies Sabah-Taipei direct

26 November AirAsia has launched new daily direct flights between Taipei and the Sabah capital of Kota Kinabalu, further expanding its international connectivity from East Malaysia.

Explore backs 10 percent MH commission

26 November Explore Holidays has stepped in to fill the gap left by Malaysia Airline’s recent cuts to commissions, guaranteeing a full 10 percent commission on published fares for bookings made with Explore Holidays.

Pero sets new low

26 November It would have to be one of the most ghoulish publicity stunts ever devised, with alleged entrepreneur, Michael Pero, selling tickets for a charter flight to coincide with the Mt Erebus memorial service to be held at the crash site in Antarctica.

Qatar ramps up Australian operations

25 November 2009 Qatar Airways is finalising details for its 6 December launch in Melbourne with a number of key initiatives nearing completion and an increased recruitment drive.

Emirates and Insight cut European airfares

25 November Emirates has shifted its airfares for June 2010 out of the high and into the low season, which when combined with some tour packages are now as low as $1349 per person, including taxes.

MAS cuts back commission

25 November Malaysia Airlines has confirmed it will cut its base commissions ex Australia from nine percent to seven percent from 1 January 2010.

Emirates flies to Tokyo

24 November Seven years after launching operations to Osaka, Emirates has unveiled plans to launch direct services to Japan’s capital city – Tokyo.

SWISS consolidates for growth

24 November After more than 12 months of streamlining its operations, SWISS is again expanding its services between Geneva and London with new flights from 10 January 2010.

Etihad increases Frankfurt flights

24 November Etihad Airways has added more flights between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt creating better connections to Germany for Australian travellers.

Qantas increases domestic fares

24 November Qantas has advised it will increase domestic airfares with average economy seats climbing by up to $10 per sector from 27 November.

Two dollar fares from Tiger

23 November Tiger Airways is celebrating its second birthday today with a new fare promotion that will see more than 100,000 discounted fares released from as low as $2.

AirAsia expands India with new Kolkata flights

23 November AirAsia has celebrated its inaugural flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata.

Battle over Fiji skies heats up

20 November V Australia and Jetstar have both been granted capacity to fly to Fiji, although neither airline has been given as many seats as they wished.

BMI codeshares with Continental

20 November Continental Airlines and BMI have signed a codeshare deal that will see the UK-based carrier selling tickets to the US from five British departure ports, opening the door to round the world fares with Star Alliance partners.

Air Mauritius returns to Sydney

20 November Air Mauritius will resume its flights to Sydney from July 2010, doubling its capacity in Australia.

Qatar showcases Melbourne’s new B777

19 November Qatar Airways is making its largest-ever presence at the Dubai Air Show, with its displays including the brand new Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft that will service the Doha-Melbourne route, when it begins on 6 December.

Tiger marks Red Centre milestone

19 November Tiger Airways Australia today celebrates its 100,000th passenger milestone at Alice Springs airport, with the lucky recipient receiving a travel prize package to return to the Red Centre including airfares, accommodation and leisure experiences.

AirAsia takes Melbourne to double daily

18 November Low-cost airline, AirAsia is set to boost its Melbourne frequencies to twice daily from 2 February, as inbound and outbound traffic continues to grow.

Royal Jordanian expands Italy and Sri Lanka

18 November Increasing demand has seen Royal Jordanian raise the number of scheduled flights to Milan and Colombo from two to three a week.

Garuda extends anniversary sale

18 November Garuda Indonesia is extending celebrations for its 40th anniversary of flying to Australia with fares cut by up to 40 percent off normal levels.

Tiger slashes one million dollars from seats

18 November Tiger Airways has stripped back its fares with more than $1 million slashed off selected seats right across the Tiger Airways network.

Etihad unveils US$750 million investment package

18 November Etihad Airways will highlight a US$750 million investment in its workforce, fleet, in-flight service and planning and resourcing systems at this week’s Dubai Air Show.

Demand growing for premium seats

17 November There are continuing signs that the aviation downturn may have bottomed out with Singapore Airlines’ latest systemwide passenger report showing a slowing decline, with growing demand for seats in premium cabins.

Wings Air adds more ATR

17 November Indonesian-based carrier, Wings Air, is expanding its regional fleet with the addition of 15 ATR 72-500s, with options for a further 15 ATR 72-600 series aircraft.

SIA teams with NZ

16 November Singapore Airlines and Tourism New Zealand have signed an agreement to jointly develop and promote tourism to New Zealand on Singapore Airlines' services.

Qantas to fly Canberra-Darwin

13 November Qantas has confirmed it will commence new direct flights between Canberra and Darwin from February 2010.

Engineer action won’t disrupt Qantas

13 November Qantas has moved to comfort travelers saying industrial action planned by Professional Engineers from tonight would not have any impact on airline operations.

Air Pacifc slashes fares

12 November Air Pacific has launched a new range of low fares with prices starting from $390 per person from Sydney to Nadi return, including all taxes and surcharges.

SIA adds to Tokyo

12 November Singapore Airlines will launch twice-daily flights between Singapore and Tokyo Haneda airport in October next year, complementing the current twice-daily Tokyo Narita services - one of which continues on to Los Angeles.

SIA narrows losses

11 November A tight grip on financial management and a delicate juggling of aircraft and capacity has seen Singapore Airlines turn around its performance, with the airline cutting its losses to $159 million during the second quarter of the financial year.

Last call for THAI specials

11 November Thai Airways will close its Spring sale promotion on 30 November, 2009.

Winglets see Hawaiian 767s go green

11 November Hawaiian Airlines has completed its first installation of blended winglets on its fleet of Boeing 767-300 jets, with the initiative set to significantly reduce fuel usage and carbon dioxide emissions.

Thai launches hot companion deals

9 November Thai Airways has released a range of heavily discounted companion fares to Thailand and beyond in its premium business and first class cabins for bookings made before 30 November.

Air France flies new A380

8 November Air France has become the first European carrier to take delivery of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, with the massive double-decker commencing services on the Paris-New York route from 23 November.

Skywest adds more services to Karratha

8 November Skywest Airlines will further expand its schedule to the North West township of Karratha, with the addition of three more jet services each week.

Tiger flies Brisbane-Melbourne

6 November Tiger Airways has launched new flights between Melbourne and Brisbane completing its network linking major Australian capital cities when the new services start on 28 march 2010.

Etihad adds Hyderabad

5 November Etihad Airways has again expanded its India network, with new services between Abu Dhabi and Hyderabad.

V Australia goes long-haul from NZ

5 November Full service airline, V Australia, continues its rapid expansion with the launch of new long haul flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to a range of destinations including the US, Thailand and South Africa.

LAN opens Europe via South America

5 November Travellers from Australia to Europe and the UK can now fly via South America with the launch of new LAN services.

Jet Airways extends India promotion

5 November India’s Jet Airways has extended its special promotion fares to India until 31 Jan 2010 for departures to 31 July 2010.

Delta and DJ get venture approval

4 November Delta Air Lines and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group have welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft determination to grant authorisation to the airlines’ proposed joint venture.

Air NZ prepares for Rotorua flights

4 November Air New Zealand and Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing have launched a major campaign in Sydney to promote the new direct services which will commence on 12 December.

Emirates launches Europe early bird fares

4 November Europe has become more affordable with the release of a new round of early bird fares flying Emirates, with fares starting from $1880. including tax.

Family fares from Hawaiian

4 November Hawaiian Airlines is celebrating its 80th birthday this month with a new range of family airfares that share in the spirit of ‘Ohana’, or family.

Air NZ replaces B737-300 fleet

3 November Air New Zealand has placed orders for 14 new Airbus A320 aircraft to replace its current domestic jet fleet of 15 Boeing 737-300 aircraft.

Qantas joins green fuel team

2 November With fuel continuing to become a major cost for airlines, Qantas has formally joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) in a bid to accelerate the development and commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel.

Boeing forecasts return to growth

2 November With the economy returning to strength, US aircraft manufacturer has revealed its sales forecasts for the next 20 years, with Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific tipped for growth.

Etihad wins marketing award

2 November Etihad Airways has added another marketing honour to its trophy cabinet, with the airline taking out the Marketing Strategy of the Year category at this year’s Middle East Business Achievement Awards.

AirAsia boosts Melbourne flights

30 October AirAsia will boost its frequencies between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne by one return flight each week as the route continues to flourish.

SWISS to serve Calgary and Vancouver

30 October SWISS will add two further destinations to its long-haul network in summer 2010, with new flights to the Canadian cities of Calgary and Vancouver.

Etihad heads to Japan

30 October Etihad Airways will launch services to Nagoya and Tokyo in the first quarter of 2010, marking the airline’s entry into Japan.

Tiger flies for taxes only

29 October Tiger Airways has launched its latest pricing promotion offering free flights when travellers pay taxes and charges.

Etihad earlybirds

29 October Etihad Airways has launched its new Aussie early bird fares.

Codeshare opens NZ – South Africa sector

29 October Air New Zealand and South African Airways (SAA) have signed a code share agreement, which will allow the two carriers to offer a one-stop service between Auckland and Johannesburg, via Perth.

Virgin Atlantic confirms cool credentials

28 October Virgin Atlantic has been named a ‘CoolBrand for 2009/10’, by the Superbrands organization, which monitors brand values and strengths among leading companies.

SIA slices 2010 fares

27 October Singapore Airlines has set a benchmark for the Australian airline industry by ‘future-proofing’ its early bird Europe fares for 2010.

Air NZ winglets cut fuel

26 October First reports on Air New Zealand’s new blended winglets which are being fitted to its Boeing 767-300ER fleet show they are delivering 19 percent higher fuel savings than forecast.

AirAsia X flies to Chengdu, China

23 October AirAsia has celebrated its maiden flight to Chengdu from Kuala Lumpur.

SAA Earlybirds

23 October South African Airways has launched new Earlybird fares to South Africa starting at $1741 from Perth, $1795 from Adelaide and $1961 from the East Coast, including taxes.

Tiger flies Sydney-Gold Coast

22 October Tiger Airways has confirmed it will launch flights between Sydney and Gold Coast from this December.

AirAsia welcomes 2010 with big regional sale

22 October Low cost air travel champion, AirAsia, has shown its intentions to continue a policy of deep-discounting with the launch of new fares from Australia to its global network of destinations.

Air NZ slashes fares up to 23 percent

22 October Air New Zealand is slashing its cheapest domestic airfares by up to 23 percent, while simplifying its fare structures to two simple options.

Air Pacific adds flights for summer

22 October Increased holiday season demand has seen Air Pacific add six more flights between Brisbane and Nadi during December 2009 and January 2010.

New low combo-fares to Europe

22 October Predictions that flight fares will soon start increasing has prompted Australian discount travel agent, Direct Flights International, to release special low combo fares to Europe that allow travellers to sample the luxury of business class before the cost rises to the pointy end of expensive again.

Air Canada to offer mobile options

21 October Air Canada has become the first North American airline to release a free BlackBerry application for passengers.

SIA giant turns two

20 October Singapore Airlines is celebrating the world’s first A380 flight to Sydney with a series of special celebratory fares.

Air NZ speeds up bag handling

20 October Frequent flyers on Air New Zealand’s regional services are now able to spend up to 20 minutes less waiting around at airports, thanks to a new baggage handling process.

Etihad resumes flights to Sri Lanka

19 October Etihad Airways will resume flights to Colombo in Sri Lanka, starting in January 2010.

Newcastle opens airport extension

19 October 2009 Newcastle airport management will officially open its $4 million extension, with Newcastle Lord Mayor Councillor John Tate and Port Stephens Mayor Councillor Bruce MacKenzie set to do the honours.

Emirates teams with Tourism Australia

15 October Emirates airline has confirmed its commitment to bring more visitors to Australia with the launch of a major inbound tourism joint venture with Tourism Australia.

Lufthansa relaunches inflight Internet

14 October Lufthansa has reintroduced its satellite-based Internet on-board service, FlyNet, allowing customers to communicate via broadband Internet while flying.

THAI cuts back base commission

13 October Thai Airways International has reviewed its distribution and operational costs and will cut its standard base commissions on international airfares from seven percent to five percent from 1 January 2010.

LAN offers Rio bargains

13 October Direct flights has launched a super-earlybird offer for flights to Rio de Janeiro, with flights starting from $1597 from Sydney.

Air NZ confirms Erebus anniversary

12 October Air New Zealand will proceed with a proposal to take five next of kin of those lost in the Erebus tragedy to Antarctica for the 30th anniversary on 28 November this year.

SAA launches earlybird fares

12 October South African Airways has launched an Earlybird campaign to Europe and UK with fares from only $2671 ex-Perth and $2737 from the east coast.

LAN continues Peru expansion

8 October Peru’s popularity continues to soar with international tourists, LAN Airlines, responding to increasing demand with more flights to the capital city, Lima.

Silkair to take over Penang services

7 October Singapore Airlines will hand over the operation of its services between Singapore and Penang to its regional subsidiary, SilkAir from 1 December.

Chicago key driver for Etihad future

6 October Etihad Airways has identified Chocago and other US cities as key drivers for the airlines growth.

Etihad begins Cape Town flights

5 October Etihad Airways has launched flights to Cape Town, South Africa’s second most populous city and the country’s leading tourist destination, from its Abu Dhabi home-base.

Emirates launches new Europe specials

5 October Emirates has launched a new range of business and economy class fares from Perth to Europe.

Etihad moves into Heathrow T4

5 October Etihad Airways has moved into a new home at London Heathrow, switching its three daily flight departures to Abu Dhabi from Terminal Three to Terminal Four.

$28 fares for Tiger

2 October Tiger Airways has launched a $28 airfare sale with seats available on popular domestic routes.

ATR launches first 600 series aircraft

2 October Aircraft manufacturer, ATR, has unveiled its first ATR 72-600 prototype at a ceremony in France.

SAA returns to profit

30 September South African Airways (SAA) has released its annual results in Johannesburg overnight with the financial reports showing the airline has enjoyed a strong turnaround, with double-digit growth and a return to profitability after its restructuring program.

SIA begins A380 flights to Melbourne

30 September Singapore Airlines has commenced A380 services from Melbourne today.

Etihad partners with Taj

30 September Etihad Airways has expanded its loyalty program – Etihad Guest – to include the luxurious benefits of Indian Hotels Company.

Thai establishes global standard for dining

29 September To ensure consistency for passenger experiences, Thai Airways International has standardised the taste and quality of its inflight meals on all flights to and from Bangkok.

United flies LAX-MEL from $1100

28 September United Airlines is continuing its commitment to competitive fares across the trans-Pacific with a new deal which slashes fare levels to $795 plus taxes, from Sydney and Melbourne.

ANA and Air China to codeshare

28 September Star Alliance partners ANA and Air China have signed an agreement to codeshare on the Tokyo Haneda – Beijing flight sectors.

SWISS trades miles for carbon

28 September SWISS customers booking their flights online can now offset their carbon emissions with mileage points as part of the booking process.

Emirates launches largest-ever TV push

25 September Emirates has launched its largest advertising campaign to date, with a series of fourteen ads embracing a ‘Meet Dubai’ theme.

Erebus remembered 30 years on

24 September Air New Zealand is commemorating the tragic loss of flight TE 901 at Mount Erebus which crashed 30 years ago, with a special service at the site on 28 November this year.

Emirates’ mixed class fares a hit

23 September Market demand has seen Emirates extend its ‘mixed-class’ combination fares through until 31 March 2010, with new fare levels starting from $5317 return.

A380 Antarctica flight almost sold out

22 September Just one week after it was announced, the historic Airbus A380 flight from Australia to Antarctica on New Year’s Eve is almost sold out, with only a handful of seats remaining.

Qantas names new trans-tasman fleet

22 September Qantas has today officially welcomed the first of its new Boeing 737-800 aircraft into service, with the announcement it will name the new aircraft in honour of pioneer aviatrix, Jean Batten.

Cathay Pacific speeds up Hong Kong entry

21 September Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair frequent flyers can now clear immigration processing at Hong Kong International Airport faster using dedicated e-channels.

New SWISS cabin product a hit

17 September Travellers have given their approval to the new SWISS airline’s cabin product which has been launched on its Airbus A330-300 long-haul fleet.

Emirates and V Australia sign codeshare

16 September V Australia and Emirates have signed their first codeshare partnership which will provide V Australia with seats on Emirates flights across the Tasman.

AirAsiaX sets stage for US

15 September AirAsia is laying foundations for its expansion into the US, with a sporting partnership and promotional flight to Oakland, California.

Emirates A380 joins Birmingham celebrations

11 September An Emirates' Airbus A380 was the star attraction at Birmingham airport's 70th anniversary celebrations this week.

CX to codeshare Fiji

11 September Cathay Pacific Airways has announced a code-share service with Air Pacific, placing its CX code on the Fijian carrier's upcoming twice-weekly flight between Hong Kong and Nadi in Fiji, which are scheduled to commence on 3 December 2009.

Air NZ refunds 100 flights

10 September The Big NZ Shout is ending with Air New Zealand shouting the ultimate airline giveaway – 100 flight refunds – for bookings made from today until 13 September 2009.

Emirates: Making the journey part of the fun

9 September With Emirates continuing to roll out more flights and increased frequencies to Europe from Australia, the airline has embarked on a new promotional campaign to re-establish the pleasures of seamless travel, in a market seemingly consumed with no frills and low cost carriers.

CX goes mobile

9 September Cathay Pacific Airways’ recently launched ‘CX Mobile’ application is proving popular with users.

Qantas expands awards program

8 September Qantas has confirmed it will expand its ‘Any Seat Awards’ to include 100 new destinations across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Free NZ domestic flights

7 September Air New Zealand is again offering free NZ domestic flights with trans-Tasman fare bookings to Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington, as part of its Big NZ Shout promotion.

Air NZ launches $39 domestic standby airfares

7 September 2009 Air New Zealand is trialling a new ticket class that will provide ultra-low costs for last minute travel.

Air Pacific adds more flights

7 September Air Pacific will add 12 more flights to its Sydney-Nadi sector to cater for increased holiday season demand during December 2009 and January 2010.

LAN expands South America network

4 September LAN has announced further expansion of its flight network within South America, introducing new routes and increasing services in several existing markets.

Pacific Blue opens Queenstown

4 September Just days after flying its inaugural Brisbane-Dunedin services, Pacific Blue is heading to Queenstown with year round direct flights from Sydney set to launch tomorrow, in time for spring skiing.

Chicago second US port for Etihad

4 September Etihad Airways has launched flights from its Abu Dhabi home-base to the American city of Chicago, making it the second US port after New York.

SAA treats adults like children

4 September South African Airways has launched a new sale for its Perth flights, with adults charged at childrens prices.

South Africa and Latin America combo

4 September South African Airways (SAA) has lifted frequencies on its Perth-Johannesburg sector to daily flights, while also increasing connections through to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Top award for Air NZ

3 September Air New Zealand has been given another top accolade in a prestigious travel awards, with the carrier voted second best long-haul leisure airline by Condé Nast Traveller magazine, placing it alongside New Zealand’s ranking as second best destination in the world.

Pacific Blue launches inaugural Dunedin-Brisbane flights

3 September New Zealand’s Dunedin has welcomed the city’s newest air services with Pacific Blue commencing its Brisbane flights today.

Air NZ sells two-for-one business class to New Zealand

3 September Air New Zealand’s latest Big NZ Shout is a 2-for-1 business class deal to New Zealand for bookings until Saturday 5 September.

LAN launches new economy cabin

2 September Riding on the back of its new Premium Business class, Chile-based airline, LAN, has undertaken an upgrade of the economy class cabin on its fleet of Airbus A340-300 jets used to operate daily flights from Sydney to Santiago, via Auckland.

Zeal EPMU crew sign new deal

1 September Air New Zealand subsidiary, Zeal 320 Limited, has confirmed that EPMU members that operate on its A320 aircraft have ratified a new collective agreement that will avoid further threats of industrial action.

Etihad flies new first class suite

31 August Etihad Airways has introduced its highly-anticipated new first class suite into service, marking what the airline claims is “a new era in luxury air travel”.

Virgin Blue Tweets seats

31 August Virgin Blue Airlines is celebrating its ninth birthday with a special sale offering $9 seats across a range of routes.

Air NZ charges for cards

31 August Air New Zealand will introduce a Card Payment Fee (CPF) to the Australian market effective for all tickets issued on, or after, 15 September 2009.

Special fares boost Fiji

31 August Air Pacific has released a range of discounted return air fares from Brisbane to Fiji, with prices starting from $492.

Viva Macau adds second anniversary bonus

28 August Viva Macau Airlines is celebrating its second anniversary of services between Macau and Sydney adding a new aircraft to the fleet while upgrading in-flight entertainment and meal options.

Air NZ flying high on solid profit

27 August Air New Zealand continues to report a strong profit in one of the toughest aviation environments on record.

Virgin Blue confirms trading loss

27 August Virgin Blue has announced its full year financial performance, with the airline reporting a $160 million loss after tax. The results are in line with recent outlooks and statements made by the airline.

Air Asia flies to Panda capital

26 August AirAsia is aggressively expanding its China network with the launch of a new route connecting Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu.

Air Pacific adds two new flights

25 August With confidence returning to Fiji, Air Pacific has added two more Nadi-Sydney services.

Qantas flies in fourth A380

25 August Qantas has taken delivery of its fourth Airbus A380, with the aircraft touching down in Sydney after a ferry flight from Toulouse, France.

Etihad increases frequencies for winter

24 August Etihad Airways will add more flights and improved connections as part of its winter 2009-10 schedule, with a new service to Hyderabad in India, and additional services to Athens, Istanbul, Beirut, Cairo and Kathmandu among the highlights.

Garuda refreshes its brand

24 August With tourism to Bali at an all-time high, Garuda Indonesia is re-affirming its position as the benchmark carrier for Indonesia with new aircraft and a refreshed marketing brand.

Qantas relaunches Australia choir campaign

24 August Anyone watching TV over the weekend will have seen the new version of Qantas’ iconic advertising campaign, ‘I Still Call Australia Home’.

New look for Air Tahiti Nui

20 August Air Tahiti Nui has revealed a fresh new look for its flight attendants, pilots, commercial agents and ground crew.

Qantas to lease more wide-body Airbus

20 August Qantas group will lease an additional four wide-body A330 aircraft for use within the Jetstar long haul international fleet.

Etihad-AA codeshare gains approval

20 August Etihad continues its global codeshare agreements with American Airlines the latest to sign on with the UAE carrier.

Virgin flies Perth-Phuket

20 August Virgin Blue’s international subsidiary airline, Pacific Blue, will launch direct flights from Perth to Phuket from 14 November, as it continues to expand both its domestic and international route network in and out of Western Australia.

AirAsia X adds Abu Dhabi

20 August AirAsia continues to boost its international connectivity with the airline expanding its network to include the Middle East port of Abu Dhabi.

AirAsia adds Colombo

19 August AirAsia continues to expand, with Colombo named as the latest destination on the low-cost carrier’s network.

Bali’s airspace gets busier

19 August Even before the inaugural AirAsia flight between Perth and Bali had taken off on 17 July, forward bookings were so strong the airline committed to adding a second daily flight between the two destinations.

Passengers down for SIA

18 August Singapore Airlines passenger loads continue to drop with the airline reporting its July passenger figures fell for the month, with a year-on-year decline of 13.2 percent.

Hawaiian Airlines hiring for growth

18 August At a time many airlines are scaling back, Hawaiian Airlines is continuing to hire new employees to meet the company’s current growth needs and prepare for the delivery of its first new Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

V Australia launches fares to Thailand and South Africa

17 August V Australia has again spread its wings with today’s launch of new fares to Phuket and Johannesburg.

LAN flies oneworld from Hong Kong

14 August LAN Airlines has packaged has teamed with its oneworld alliance partners to launch its first fares from Hong Kong to South America.

Prices slashed on one-way US fares

11 August V Australia has launched a new ticketing option, with the introduction of super cheap one-way tickets between Australia and Los Angeles.

Air NZ offers 10 minute challenge

11 August New Zealand’s domestic airlines are beating chests over on-time performance with Air New Zealand today throwing down a challenge to its competitors in New Zealand to start reporting their on-time performance (OTP) based on a standard 10-minute window.

Bangkok Airways adds Flyer Pass

7 August Bangkok Airways recently launched Flyer Pass – a collection of four prepaid sets of tickets designed to offer travellers hassle-free, value-for-money airfares throughout Thailand.

China Southern builds Melbourne

7 August China Southern will increase flights between Guangzhou and Melbourne to three per week, with the introduction of a new Saturday service.

Air NZ flies trans-Tasman from Rotorua

7 August Air New Zealand is to launch direct air services between Rotorua and Sydney, with inaugural services set to begin on 19 December.

Record passengers for Etihad

6 August Etihad Airways has enjoyed its busiest month on record, with more than 616,000 passengers flying onboard the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s flights during July. The result is a nine percent increase on passenger numbers for July 2008.

Jetstar adds extra Sydney-Adelaide flights

6 August Jetstar will reintroduce its second daily Sydney-Adelaide flight from 25 October 2009, using an Airbus A320.

EU gives green light to Austrian takeover

6 August The EU Commission has provided approval for Lufthansa's takeover of the Austrian Airlines Group to proceed, based on several remaining conditions.

Etihad names Hyderabad

6 August Etihad Airways will boost its Indian flying program with the addition of Hyderabad to its expanding global network.

Qantas reshapes website

4 August Qantas has relaunched its consumer website - qantas.com - with a new-look and a host of service enhancements.

Ethiopian Airlines order more aircraft

4 August With orders worth an estimated US$4.2 billion on its books, Ethiopian Airlines has signed an agreement to purchase 17 new aircraft.

Air Pacific flies to Samoa in September

3 August Air Pacific will expand its South Pacific network from September when it re-schedules its Friday service between Nadi and Honolulu, to travel via Apia.

Emirates becomes world’s largest for B777

31 July Emirates has become the world’s largest airline operator of Boeing 777 aircraft with the arrival of its 78th Boeing 777.

S$307 million loss for SIA

31 July The combination of the global economic downturn, swine flu and increasing competition is impacting Singapore Airlines, with the carrier reporting its first quarterly loss since the SARS crisis in 2003.

Auckland-Queenstown join Pacific Blue network

31 July Pacific Blue has confirmed it will expand its New Zealand domestic network, with weekend flights from Auckland to Queenstown from September.

SWISS feels headwind

31 July Swiss International Air Lines continues to feel the force of the economic downturn with the airline reporting a modest operating profit of CHF 65 million for the first half of 2009, compared to CHF 254 million for the same period last year.

China Southern offers Paris

31 July China Southern Airlines has released a new low fare from Sydney and Melbourne to Paris, via China, starting from $1580 in economy class, including taxes.

AirAsia adds more flights to Gold Coast

30 July Low-cost carrier, AirAsia, is set to increase its frequencies between Kuala Lumpur and the Gold Coast, with an additional two return flights each week following a boom in passenger traffic.

Hawaiian extends island bonus

29 July Hawaiian Airlines has extended its popular ‘Bonus Island’ air fare offer, in which passengers buying a Hawaiian fare to Honolulu can continue to one of three neighbour islands for the price of the local airport taxes.

Jetstar goes daily Sydney-Perth

29 July Jetstar is to further expand its Perth hub with the launch of a new daily Sydney-Perth service, commencing 2 October 2009, which will add a further 1200 seats to the route each week.

Virgin takes on more money

27 July Virgin Blue Airlines group has completed a new round of capital-raising, with $231 million raised to fund its future.

Godfrey to leave Virgin

27 July Brett Godfrey used today’s press conference to re-affirm his intentions to step down from the chief executive role next year.

Wheel accident an anomaly

27 July Virgin Blue chief executive said today’s lost of a wheel on one of its aircraft was an anomaly that would be unlikely to have been detected by an inspection.

Alaska Air launches new US airpass

27 July Alaska Airlines is set to introduce a new ‘North America Air Pass’ for the Australian market which will offer fares across its network from as low as US$119 one-way, plus taxes.

Lufthansa and SWISS team with combinable fares

24 July Lufthansa and SWISS have reached another key milestone in their product integration with the launch of new fully combinable fares from Australia to Europe.

More growth for Perth airport

23 July Perth Airport has experienced the highest passenger growth rates of any Australia capital city airport, reporting a 6.1 percent increase in passenger numbers for the 2008/09 financial year.

UK to prioritise biofuel for jets

23 July Virgin Atlantic has welcomed the findings of a UK-based think tank which confirmed that sustainable biofuels can reduce emissions in the aviation industry.

Etihad heads to Cape Town

23 July Etihad Airways has named the South African city of Cape Town as its second destination in South Africa, with services to start from 30 September 2009.

Qatar launches first fares

21 July Multi-award winning, five-star airline, Qatar, has released its first fares for Australian services, which will begin flying from Melbourne this December.

Sydney first for new SIA cabins

20 July Singapore Airlines has launched an aircraft cabin retrofit program that will see new interior products introduced on some of its Boeing 777s.

Etihad opens first overseas lounge

20 July Etihad Airways has opened its first overseas premium lounge outside the UAE, with the Frankfurt, Germany, taking honours as the launch destination.

Tiger adds more flights from Adelaide

20 July Tiger Airways is increasing flights to Sydney, from Melbourne and Adelaide, as customer demand for the services continues to grow.

AirAsia kicks off new Bali flights

17 July AirAsia celebrated the commencement of its first Perth-Bali flight today, with the inaugural flight from Bali flying with a 100 percent load in both directions, reflecting the strong demand for the sector.

Emirates flies special UK A380 service

17 July Emirates will fly its Airbus A380 superjumbo on a special service to the UK, with a once-only flight between Dubai and Birmingham.

Pacific Blue on time

17 July Pacific Blue’s domestic New Zealand services are performing well with the latest reports showing the airline achieved an average on-time performance (OTP) result of 90 percent for the first six months of 2009.

Emirates adds special fares to Europe

16 July Emirates is offering a range of special economy class fares between Perth and its 22 European destinations.

SIA takes A380 daily to Melbourne

15 July Singapore Airlines has announced it will extend its A380 services with a daily flight from Melbourne, making it the sixth global destination for the airline’s super-jumbo.

Etihad joins IATA security committee

15 July Etihad Airways has become the first airline in the Middle East to join the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Working Group Committee for Security.

AirAsia goes double-daily Bali-Perth before first flight

15 July A surge in bookings for AirAsia’s new services between Bali and Perth has seen the carrier increase its frequency to twice daily, before it begins its first flights.

Delta and Virgin Blue to form new venture

15 July Delta Air Lines and the Virgin Blue group are seeking regulatory approval to form a joint venture that will expand both carriers’ reach between the US, Australia and the South Pacific.

SIA named travel agent favourite

14 July Singapore Airlines has been named Australia’s best international online airline for the second consecutive year at last weekend’s AFTA National Travel Industry Awards.

Etihad signs Turkish codeshare

14 July Etihad Airways continues to expand its codeshare agreements, with Turkish Airlines the latest to partner with the UAE airline.

New winglets for Air NZ

14 July Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 767-300ER aircraft fitted with new blended winglets has arrived at Auckland International Airport, ready to enter service.

SIA flies A380 between Singapore and Hong Kong

13 July Singapore Airlines continues to expand its A380 services with Hong Kong the group’s newest destination.

AirAsia launches low-fare cargo

13 July AirAsia has launched Redbox, the world’s first low-cost courier, offering a new value-for-money shipment option across Malaysia.

SWISS loads growing

13 July In another sign that the aviation and tourism industries are returning to normal, SWISS is reporting its systemwide seat load factors have grown above the industry average, which climbed to 75.9 percent for the first six months of 2009.

Etihad and AA to codeshare

13 July Etihad Airways and American Airlines have announced details of a proposed new codeshare agreement which will pave the way for closer commercial cooperation between the two airlines.

Etihad showcases experience online

10 July Etihad Airways has launched an advanced new online ‘micro-site’ which showcases its award-winning in-flight and ground experience.

Qantas adds more to Queenstown

6 July Qantas will increase caacity on its Sydney-Queenstown route during summer, with an additional service on Sundays between 20 December and 14 February, 2010.

More baggage for less

6 July Emirates has increased its free baggage allowance to 30 kilograms for economy passengers; 40 kilograms for business class passengers and 50 kilograms for passengers travelling in first class.

SIA flies new jets to Oz

6 July Singapore Airlines has completed the roll out of its new Airbus A330-300, with the all-new mid-haul jets now servicing Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

AirAsia cuts fares and opens new hubs

6 July Malaysia-based low-cost airline, AirAsia, is spreading its footprint further across Asia and Australia, with the establishment of several mini-hubs which will allow passengers to reach almost any part of the region for under $200.

Fares fall as Delta launches first transpacific flight

3 July The transpacific just got a lot more crowded, with the world’s largest airline commencing flights between Sydney and Los Angeles today.

New savings for Africa flights

3 July African safari specialist, Bench International, is using the new South African Airways daily service out of Perth to offer huge savings on its 15-day Grand Tour of South Africa.

Tiger Airways begins Sydney to Melbourne

2 July Tiger Airways Australia has today officially launch its new Sydney to Melbourne route.

China Southern announces new Australian schedule

2 July China Southern Airlines has announced a new Australian schedule for flights between August and October.

WA guarantees regional air services

2 July WA transport minister, Simon O’Brien has confirmed the state government will continue to regulate regional air services across WA.

FJ’s hot US fares

2 July Air Pacific has launched a range of Pricebuster fares which offer return business class fares from Sydney and Brisbane to Honolulu from $5333, and Los Angeles from $7084, including all taxes and surcharges.

Krisflyer sets sail

30 June In celebration of KrisFlyer’s 10th year of operations, Singapore Airlines has teamed up with CruiseEscapes to offer its first non-air redemption promotion in Australia.

Air NZ increases Queenstown flights

29 June Air New Zealand has made further additions to its Tasman schedule into and out of Queenstown, including the launch of a new weekly Brisbane-Queenstown summer service.

Qantas slashes B787 orders

29 June Qantas has confirmed it will cut its firm order for Boeing’s revolutionary new airliner – the B787 – following production delays and the impacts of the global financial crisis.

Emirates deploys A380 to Paris

26 June Paris has been named as Emirates latest destination for its massive A380 super jumbo.

Lufthansa moves to published fares

25 June From 1 July 2009, Lufthansa pricing will be made easy for Australian travel agents, with all fares from Australia to 153 destinations in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East priceable in the GDS.

SAA builds capacity on key routes

25 June South African Airways (SAA) has added capacity to its African network, while strengthening its network with additional flights from Perth and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Air NZ picks up after Jetstar

24 June Air New Zealand has launched a unique promotion it says has been developed to assist Jetstar customers who are calling the airline asking for help.

Virgin Atlantic orders 10 new aircraft

24 June In what is being hailed as a sign of growing confidence, Virgin Atlantic has announced a US$2.1 billion order for 10 new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which will be delivered from early 2011.

Tiger flies for taxes and charges

24 June Tiger Airways has again surprised the market with a new ‘Just pay the taxes and charges’ promotion.

Air Pacific ups Melbourne capacity

24 June Higher demand from leisure and business travellers has seen Air Pacific increase capacity out of Melbourne during August and September.

Vietnam Airlines adds Dong Hoi

24 June From 1 July 2009, Vietnam Airlines will add a new service between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Hoi, Quang Binh.

BA reaffirms commitment to Australia

23 June British Airways has reassured travellers from Australia and New Zealand that it remains committed to providing competitive service to both markets, and determined to emerge from the global economic crisis as a stronger, more confident international airline.

Virgin Atlantic turns 25

23 June Virgin Atlantic is celebrating its 25th birthday in style by recreating the very first flight to New York that departed on 22 June 1984 from London Heathrow.

SWISS launches twice daily service to Oslo

23 June SWISS has launched new fights between Zurich and Oslo, with a twice-daily Airbus A319 service.

Perth airport rated best on-time

22 June Perth Airport’s ‘Airline On Time Performance’ figures for May, released today by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, show Perth Airport rated first in Australia for capital city airport departures with 89.5 percent of all flights departing on time, and first for capital city airport arrivals with 88.8 percent of all flights arriving on time.

Passengers injured in Qantas midair scare

22 June Qantas has confirmed one of its Airbus A330 aircraft operating QF68 between Hong Kong and Perth overnight encountered severe turbulence, which saw several passengers suffering minor injuries.

PacBlue launches on-time challenge

19 June Christchurch-based, Pacific Blue, has thrown out a challenge to New Zealand’s competing airlines by publishing its monthly domestic On-Time Performance (OTP) results on its website, making it the first New Zealand airline to do so.

Qatar Airways names start date

18 June Qatar Airways will begin its long-awaited Australian operations, with the airline announcing a start date for its inaugural services from Melbourne.

Qantas adds online check in for international flights

18 June Qantas has introduced international online check-in and advance seat selection to its website offering.

SIA goes four times daily to Manila

18 June Singapore Airlines is increasing its frequencies to Manila with a fourth daily flight between Singapore and Manila commencing 10 July.

Virgin Blue and Emirates interline in Australia

18 June Virgin Blue and Emirates have joined forces in a new interline agreement to provide a seamless, single ticket option for travellers flying between both airline’s source markets.

Virgin heads to Hayman

16 June Virgin Blue has signed a partnership agreement with Hayman Island, which allows the airline to offer luxury launch transfers direct from Hamilton Island to and from the resort island.

Qantas codeshares to expand US and Europe networks

15 June Qantas will further expand its European and North American networks through a series of oneworld codeshare agreements.

Qantas increases A380 flights

15 June The delivery of Qantas’ fourth Airbus A380 has seen the airline increase its schedules to the US and London.

SQ to fly A380 to Hong Kong

14 June Singapore Airlines will fly its Airbus A380 between Singapore and Hong Kong from 9 July 2009.

SIA launches global sale fares

12 June Singapore Airlines has today launched a second round of unprecedented sale fares as part of its ‘Take Off to the World’ campaign.

Jetstar diverts after cockpit fire

11 June A Jetstar flight from Osaka to the Gold Coast has diverted to Guam overnight following a fire in the cockpit.

Pacific Blue expands NZ network

10 June On the day Jetstar takes over Qantas’ New Zealand services, Pacific Blue has made a surprise announcement that it will again expand its NZ network.

Air NZ confirms environmental credentials

9 June Air New Zealand has affirmed its environmental credentials with the achievement of Qualmark’s Enviro-Gold accreditation.

One way flight for Air NZ’s first B747-400

5 June Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 747-400 will fly to the US for the last time today, as it departs for the great parts bin in the desert.

Air NZ launches Westport-Christchurch regional service

5 June Air New Zealand is stretching its footprint further into the regions with the launch of a new service between Westport and Christchurch.

SAA moves to daily flights

2 June With visitor numbers from Australia still growing, South African Airways has confirmed it will increase its flights from Perth to as daily frequency from 1 September 2009.

Design award win for Qantas economy

2 June Qantas has won the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year for its all-new economy class seat, which features in its Airbus A380 aircraft.

Emirates adds to India

2 June Emirates will further expand its India network with 22 new flights per week, as the nation propels itself to become one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation hubs, following liberalisation of its skies.

Emirates flies A380 to Bangkok and Toronto

2 June Emirates has expanded its A380 super jumbo network with flights now operating from Dubai to Bangkok and Toronto.

Biofuel flight test shows fuel savings

28 May Scientific testing has found that up to 1.4 tonnes of fuel can be saved on a twelve-hour long haul flight powered by a 50/50 blend of second generation jatropha sustainable biofuel and traditional Jet A1.

Etihad adds Istanbul

28 May Etihad Airways will commence new flights between its Abu Dhabi hub and Istanbul from 1 June.

Aegean joins Star Alliance

27 May Star Alliance is set to grow again with Aegean Airlines confirmed as its newest member.

Tiger unleashes new low fare option

27 May It’s hard to see how much lower airfares can go, but Tiger Airways has introduced a new fare-type which allows customers to access the absolute lowest air fares, without the $5 fee normally applicable for credit card bookings.

Virgin Atlantic profits up

27 May Virgin Atlantic is showing its appeal, after reporting a profit increase amidst one of the toughest operating environments in history.

LAN creates a new class

26 May While premium economy cabins are becoming a common feature on the world aviation scene, LAN Airlines has taken its interpretation of hybrid products up a notch to the front of the aircraft with a merging of its former business and first class products to create Premium Business.

Airlines blitz Bali

26 May The skies between Bali and Australia are buzzing with increased activity with Jetstar and Virgin Blue both commencing services from various Australian ports in recent months, and Garuda Indonesia increasing its frequency from Perth and Brisbane.

Emirates banks US$406 million

26 May Despite the tough economic climate, Emirates Group has managed to post its 21st consecutive profit, adding US$406 million to the company’s coffers.

Emirates adds premium stopovers

25 May Emirates’ First and Business Class passengers are being given the opportunity to stopover and experience Dubai for free, thanks to a new range of stopover packages.

Tiger chases more growth

22 May Despite the much-publicised economic slowdown, Tiger Airways operations in both Asia and Australia continue to show significant growth in passengers, aircraft and routes.

OzJet calls in administrators

22 May OzJet management have appointed an administrator following the company’s decision to cease operations from its Perth base last Tuesday.

$30 airfares for today only

21 May Tiger Airways has ruffled airline feathers again with the launch of a one-day sale for today only that has slashed fares to under $30 one-way. Farwes are inclusive of taxes.

SIA launches mobile phone check-in

21 May Singapore Airlines customers can now check into flights and select their seats, via their own mobile phone, following the launch of the airline’s latest innovation – ‘SIA Mobile’.

OzJet ceases operation from Perth

20 May Charter airline, OzJet, has confirmed its decision to suspend operations of its B737 fleet from Perth.

BA flies to Las Vegas

20 May British Airways has announced it will launch new services from London Heathrow to Las Vegas commencing 25 October 2009.

SIA codeshares with EgyptAir

20 May An expanded codeshare agreement between Singapore Airlines and EgyptAir, will allow Singapore Airlines’ customers to enjoy daily flights between Singapore and Cairo, from 1 June.

Qantas to expand JAL codeshare

19 May Qantas and Japan Airlines will expand their codeshare agreement to include services between Australia and Japan, via Singapore.

Garuda increases Australian network

18 May With record visitor arrivals into Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia has announced it will deploy its newest aircraft onto an expanded Australian network.

Tiger hits two million mark

15 May Tiger Airways Australia has celebrated its two millionth passenger, since commencing Australian operations in November 2007.

Love is in the air for Air NZ

15 May First it was no clothes and body paint, now Air New Zealand is doing its bit to spice up international relationships with the US, by launching the world’s first ‘Match-making flight’.

Qantas releases more frequent flyer seats

13 May Qantas Frequent Flyer has released 50 percent more ‘Classic Award’ seats on selected international flights to Asia, New Zealand and the USA.

Emirates expands Middle East services

13 May For the third time on four months, Emirates has boosted its Middle East services, with an additional 12 flights per week to major travel hubs in the region.

SIA launches suite deals

11 May Singapore Airlines is offering an amazing incentive for travellers booking into the airline’s A380 first class suites, with a complimentary one-night stay at Singapore’s historic Raffles Hotel, valued at S$1700 per night.

Qantas secures engineering jobs

11 May Qantas has today reached an agreement with employees at its Brisbane heavy maintenance base, which will secure the future of heavy maintenance work for the airline’s Airbus A330 fleet in Australia.

Virgin Atlantic spreads wings to Puerto Rico

8 May Virgin Atlantic will begin flying weekly services between London Gatwick and Puerto Rico's San Juan for the winter season during 2009-10.

More baggage for Air Pacific

8 May Economy passengers travelling on Air Pacific routes between Australia and Fiji are in for a bonus, with free baggage allowances increased to 23 kilograms.

Emirates increases commissions

7 May As sales begin to tighten, Emirates has moved to increase its travel agent commissions in Australia to nine percent.

AirAsia links Perth with Indonesia

7 May AirAsia has expanded its Western Australia networks with new daily flights between Perth and Bali commencing in July.

Air NZ flies through strike

7 May Air New Zealand has confirmed its Tasman and Pacific Island services will continue to operate during the four-day strike by Zeal EPMU members, which begins tomorrow and runs through the Mother’s Day weekend.

Air Austral extends launch fare

5 May To celebrate its inaugural Australian flight on 14 April, Air Austral has extended the availability of its competitive limited-duration launch fares until 30 June.

Fly direct to Hotham

5 May QantasLink has announced it will commence Sydney to Hotham services from July, in time for the 2009 ski season.

SWISS feels growing headwind

4 May Swiss International Air Lines is starting to feel the pressure of the financial downturn, with the group reporting a slight decline in profit over the first quarter.

Air NZ adds more premium economy seats

1 May The popularity of its premium economy cabins has seen Air New Zealand double the number of seats available on its B777-200ER fleet.

SWISS puts its first Airbus A330-300 into service

22 April SWISS has taken delivery of its first new Airbus A330-300, with its first revenue flights now operating.

See more US for less

22 April Hawaiian Airlines has intensified the competition for travel to the US mainland with its latest fare promotion, offering an Hawaii stop-over option with its US flights.

Business class deals for seniors

21 April Emirates is offering special business class companion fares for seniors keen to take advantage of the European summer.

$499 Philippines super special

17 April Philippine Airlines has launched a super ‘stimulus’ special for the Australian travel market for travel to Manila and a choice of any Philippine domestic destination on its network.

SWISS voted best airline in Europe

16 April Swiss International Air Lines has been named 'Best Airline: Europe' for its short and long-haul flights, in the prestigious Skytrax 2009 World Airline Award.

SYD-MEL for $39

16 April Tiger Airways has added to its recent $30 fares, with an additional offer of $39 fares for one-way flights between Sydney and Melbourne.

Air Pacific undeterred

14 April Air Pacific has confirmed it will continue to operate its normal schedules between Australia and Nadi, despite the recent government unrest.

Upgrade program for frequent flyers

14 April Etihad Airways is offering its most frequent customers the opportunity to upgrade their seats at the airport before they fly.

Tiger launches $30 fares to anywhere

10 April Tiger Airways continues to flourish in the current downturn with its latest deal offering $30 one-way fares across the airline’s entire Australian network.

New winglets cut fuel

9 April LAN is set to upgrade its Boeing 767-300 long-range aircraft with the addition of winglets to reduce fuel consumption and drag.

LAN begins Ecuador domestic operations

9 April LAN Ecuador has commenced domestic linking the nation’s two largest cities - Guayaquil and Quito – with seven daily flights.

Air NZ adds more premium economy seats

9 April The popularity of its premium economy cabins has seen Air New Zealand double the number of seats available on its B777-200ER fleet.

V Australia spreads wings from Brisbane

8 April V Australia’s inaugural Brisbane to Los Angeles services have taken to the skies this morning with ?? taking off for the 12 hours direct flight to the US.

Qatar named best economy cabin

7 April Qatar Airways has again come up trumps at the annual Skytrax passenger survey awards scooping several accolades, including ‘best economy class’ in the world.

Hawaiian ranks #1

7 April Hawaiian Airlines has been named as the US’s top-ranked carrier for service quality in 2008.

Qatar adds inflight email and text

6 April Qatar Airways has signed an agreement with mobile technology group – OnAir – to install Mobile OnAir inflight passenger communications services on board the airline’s single-aisle fleet.

Air Canada adds instant on-demand fun

6 April Air Canada has revised its onboard entertainment offering with an enhanced range of on-demand services.

LAN launches premium business fares

6 April LAN Airlines is celebrating the introduction of its brand new premium business class cabin on its Australia – South America flights with a range of luxury leisure fares from $5319 per person, including taxes.

More new flights for Virgin

6 April Virgin Blue is increasing its presence in the Canberra market, today with the launch of two new direct flights from the nation’s capital - to Hobart and Townsville.

China Southern adjusts for daylight savings

3 April With the end of daylight savings in Australia, China Southern Airlines has adjusted its northern summer flight schedule, to operate five nonstop flights per week from Sydney to Guangzhou, and two weekly nonstop flights from Melbourne to Guangzhou.

China Airlines expands Australia

3 April China Airlines has added three more A330-300 Airbus flights a week to its Sydney operations.

SAA signs Virgin interline

3 April South African Airways has signed a new interline agreement with Virgin Blue that will offer passengers greater choice, seamless transfers and more value.

Ownership changes for Jetstar Asia

3 April Qantas subsidiaries, Jetstar Asia and Valuair have had an ownership restructure, with Singapore-based Westbrook Investments acquiring 51 percent of the airline group.

Tiger opens Sydney-Melbourne flights

3 April Tiger Airways is set to launch onto one of the world’s busiest and most competitive routes – Sydney/Melbourne.

SIA new airbus touches down in Perth

1 April Singapore Airlines’ all-new A330-300 aircraft arrived at Perth Airport for the first time today.

Austrian launches super specials

2 April Austrian Airlines has launched a new wave of Super Specials to Italy, Poland, Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina, with fares from $1300.

Qantaslink to restart Sydney-Mt Hotham ski flights

2 April QantasLink will commence flights between Sydney and Victoria’s Mount Hotham on 3 July to meet demands for the 2009 ski season.

Air NZ suspends Zeal staff

2 April Zeal, the company which supplies Air New Zealand with cabin crew for its A320 services on Pacific and trans-Tasman routes, has suspended nine of its staff for non-compliance with their strike notice.

NZ air traffic gets reality check

1 April It seems New Zealand air traffic controllers have had a reality check and have reached an agreement to ensure regional air traffic control towers will not need to be closed during set break times.

Air NZ welcomes mediation in dispute

1 April Air New Zealand has welcomed EPMU national secretary, Andrew Little’s, involvement in mediation to try and settle the Zeal cabin crew dispute.

Rest breaks cancel 25 NZ regional services

31 March New air traffic controller shifts will force Air New Zealand to cancel 25 regional services each week, according to Air New Zealand group general manager short haul airlines, Bruce Parton.

Emirates adds more Middle East flights

31 March Emirates continues to build its Middle east footprint with increased services to three of its key regional gateways - Dammam, Beirut and Tehran.

Etihad arrives in Melbourne

30 March Etihad continues to spread its wings with the commencement of new services into Melbourne.

SIA launches new A330-300 flights into Brisbane

30 March Singapore Airlines has commenced Australian flights using its all-new mid-haul regional aircraft, with Brisbane the launch destination.

Royal Brunei cuts Asia fares

27 March Online discount travel agent, Direct Flights International, is offering special low return fares from Perth to 10 destinations in Asia from just $656 return, including taxes.

V Australia signs with Delta

26 March V Australia and Delta Air Lines have signed an Australia – US interline agreement that will provide seamless travel on both airline networks.

Virgin offers 1000 seats for $19

26 March Virgin Blue will launch a three-hour super sale from 7-10pm tonight with 1000 seats up for grabs for $19 one-way, taxes included.

Boeing tests new B747-8 engines

26 March Boeing has commenced flight-testing of the new GEnx-2B jet engine for Boeing's new B747-8 aircraft.

Air NZ readies for strike

26 March Air New Zealand management has advised it expects “minimal to no customer disruption” as a result of the EPMU’s planned strike action in the lead up to Easter.

Qantas cuts senior management

25 March Qantas Group is preparing to cut its management staff as a result of the tightening economic environment.

Air NZ union wants up to 70 percent increase

24 March New Zealand’s economic situation has improved considerably if you can believe claims being made by New Zealand union body, EPMU.

Last days for Etihad sale

24 March There are only two weeks left to qualify for discounted fares on Etihad’s ‘Just the Ticket’ incentive, with the promotion closing on 3 April 2009.

Garuda launches Bali-Lombok flights

24 March Bali’s idyllic neighbouring island of Lombok will become more accessible from 1 April when Garuda Indonesia commences the operation of a daily service between Bali and Lombok.

Fiji welcomes new flights

24 March Tourism Fiji regional director Australia, Paresh Pant, has welcomed Pacific Blue Airlines’ announcement that it will begin non-stop services between Adelaide and Fiji and Melbourne and Fiji from 4 June 2009.

Air NZ fights gagging order

20 March Air New Zealand is fighting back against the Commerce Commission and seeking a High Court order to stop the Commerce Commission withholding evidence in its air cargo litigation.

Pacific Blue to launch Fiji directs from ADL and MEL

20 March Pacific Blue Airlines is increasing its international route network with plans to begin non-stop twice-weekly Fiji services from Adelaide and Melbourne.

Emirates cuts A380 NT flights

20 March Emirates is amending its daily Airbus A380 schedule to New York, with plans to suspend the super-jumbo services into New York, replacing them with a Boeing B777-300ER.

Air NZ matches government’s funds

18 March Air New Zealand will spend $2.5 million on a major promotional campaign, matching the New Zealand Government’s additional tourism funding for Australia.

Air Pacific voted best

18 March Air Pacific has been given a welcome morale boost after being named the Best Airline in the South Pacific by readers of the US-based Global Travellers magazine.

SQ starts Kuwait services

17 March Singapore Airlines has commenced operation of new flights between Kuwait and Singapore, via Abu Dhabi.

Garuda seeks return to Europe

17 March With plans to recommence flights to Europe in 2010, Garuda Indonesia awaits with interest the decision of the European Union regarding lifting the ban on Indonesian registered aircraft flying over EU airspace.

Air NZ to include fuel charge

16 March Air New Zealand will begin to incorporate fuel charges into all fares sold ex Australia from 30 March 2009.

SWISS investing in further fleet renewal from 2014

16 March SWISS is investing in a new generation of regional aircraft as part of its fleet renewal from 2014.

Qantas revives TAA heritage

13 March Qantas has committed to support the preservation of a vintage DC-3 aircraft which flew the first passenger service of Trans Australian Airlines (TAA) in 1946.

Virgin Blue adds new direct Darwin flights

13 March Virgin Blue is set to launch new non-stop services between Darwin and Melbourne and Darwin-Perth, from 28 April.

Air NZ opens iphone boarding

13 March Less than seven days after its launch, more than 1500 Air New Zealand customers have already embraced the airline’s new mPass paperless boarding system.

Qatar unveils robust expansion

12 March Sydney and Melbourne have been named as new ports within Qatar Airways massive expansion program.

Etihad teams with Qantas

12 March Etihad Airways and Qantas have joined forces on some routes through a new codeshare agreement which signals the start of closer commercial cooperation between the two airlines.

Austrian tops for on time

11 March The Austrian Airlines Group has celebrated a remarkable achievement, with more than 99 percent of its flights operated as planned.

New aircraft pushes Qatar to 68

11 March Qatar Airways is nearing its 70 aircraft mark, following the addition of its latest Boeing 777-300 Extended Range, which has arrived in Doha.

Etihad expands Australian team

9 March Etihad Airways continues to defy the current trends with an expansion of its Australian workforce through a series of recent staff appointments.

Air NZ trials new landing system

9 March Air New Zealand will fly a demonstration landing of its ‘Tailored Arrival’ approach systrem into Los Angeles International Airport tomorrow, as part of a trial to prove the viability of the procedure into one of the world’s busiest airports.

Hawaiian cuts fuel charges

6 March Hawaiian Airlines has reduced the YQ fuel surcharge on flights between Australia and Hawaii and Australia and the US mainland, effective immediately.

Austrian gains IOSA approvals

6 March Austrian Airlines Group has received a highly regarded confirmation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that Austrian Airlines and Tyrolean Airways have successfully completed the strictly controlled cyclical IOSA audit.

ATSB release interim safety report to Qantas

6 March The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its latest interim reports on the Qantas incidents in Manila and Western Australia.

Etihad cuts costs on companion fares

5 March Etihad Airways has slashed prices on companion fares from Sydney for travel in all classes.

Garuda banks year-end profit

5 March Garuda Indonesia continues its turn-around banking a A$89 million for its full year.

Africa specials with Emirates

4 March Emirates has launched a discounted tactical fare from Perth to Johannesburg and Nairobi, with prices starting from $1199 return (plus taxes), for travel until 30 June 2009.

LAX too small for A380

3 March Los Angeles International Airport has again held up its inadequacies with a report that air traffic controllers at the busy airport saying they may have to turn the big aircraft away during busy periods.

Tiger Airways opens Jakarta sales

27 February Tiger Airways has today started selling seats for its new flights between Jakarta and Singapore.

10 year celebrations for oneworld alliance

27 February With the oneworld global airline alliance celebrating its 10th anniversary, Qantas will re-paint two of its aircraft to carry special oneworld livery to mark the landmark occasion.

Qantas launches new India services

27 February Qantas is ready to commence a new schedule of India flights between Australia and Mumbai from 2 June 2009.

Profits down but confidence up for Air NZ

26 February Despite a profit slide of more than 80 percent, Air New Zealand has remained positive about the airline’s future.

Qatar cuts fuel charges

26 February With fuel process continuing to fall, Qatar Airways has further reduced the fuel surcharge on international flights.

Round the world with Virgin

26 February The launch of V Australia services to the US next week completes the circular global network for Virgin Airlines group, which has launched round-the-world fares from Sydney starting from $2499, inclusive of tax.

Air NZ upset over leaked crash report

25 February Air New Zealand has advised against drawing premature conclusions about the cause of the A320 accident off the coast of France last year following the leaking of an interim report from the Bureau d’Enquetês et d’Analyses (BEA).

Oman Air increases Bangkok gateway

24 February Oman Air has announced plans to increase flight frequency and passenger capacity between its home port of Muscat and Bangkok from May, which will provide further access to Oman for Australian travellers.

Qantas adds more flights for Darwin

23 February Qantas will add additional services to the Northern Territory from mid-June, with more flights from Perth and Adelaide.

Profits down at Virgin Blue

23 February Airline woes continue to dominate the tourism landscape with Virgin Blue Holdings posting a massive profit decline for the first half-year.

Qantas stands by credit strength

20 February Qantas has defended its balance sheet and credit rating, with chief executive Alan Joyce, saying the airline maintained a strong and stable investment grade rating.

Emirates to increase capacity

20 February While many airlines are cutting back on services and capacity, Emirates Airlines has surprised the industry with plans to grow the number of flights across its network by 14 percent in 2009.

Paddington Bear takes to the skies

19 February British Airways has launched a new activities pack for its junior flyers which will let kids fly with Paddington Bear.

SIA A380 hits one million

19 February Singapore Airlines has reached another milestone with its Airbus A380 program as it welcomed its first millionth A380 passenger yesterday.

SIA cuts more capacity

18 February Singapore Airlines continues to adjust its services, with an 11 percent reduction in capacity forecast for the period April 2009 – March 2010.

Air Pacific named best in South Pacific

18 February Air Pacific has been given a welcome boost after being named the Best Airline in the South Pacific, by readers of the US-based ‘Global Travellers’ magazine.

Jetstar to take on NZ domestic flights

17 February Qantas is working its two-brand strategy into New Zealand, with Jetstar to take over Qantas services in New Zealand’s domestic network from 10 June 2009.

Qantas shuffles mid-haul services

17 February Qantas Group has announced it will make changes to its China and India operations from next month.

Qantas to increase A380 services

16 February Qantas has confirmed it will increase its A380 services between Australia, the UK and US from early June 2009 following the delivery of the fourth Qantas A380 in May.

SIA suspends Vancouver

16 February Singapore Airlines will suspend indefinitely its three-times-weekly service between Singapore and Vancouver, via Seoul, with the last flight scheduled for 25 April 2009.

Etihad cuts fares to stimulate travel

16 February Etihad Airways has launched a surprise fare, designed to stimulate air travel for Australians and capitalise on the Federal Governments financial payouts.

Tiger Airways tops on time performance

16 February Tiger Airways has again consolidated its reputation for on time performance, with the latest Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics figures showing the airline was the most efficient in December.

Air NZ ads snow increases for Queenstown

13 February Weekly direct services from Australia to Queenstown will hit double figures this ski season, with Air New Zealand launching 10 flights per week into the region.

Virgin Blue opens new routes

13 February Virgin Blue Airlines will launch five brand new domestic services from 6 April 2009.

Swiss changes management team

12 February Changes are afoot within the SWISS airlines management team with chief marketing and strategy officer, Christoph Beckmann, departing the company at the end of March to develop his own business.

Jetstar expands domestic services

11 February Australia’s low fare airline, Jetstar, has launched three new domestic services.

SAA cuts fuel cost

10 February South African Airways (SAA) has reduced its fuel surcharge by up to 33 percent on all tickets issued, equating to a ticket price reduction on the Australia-South Africa route to around $60 on an economy airfare and around $85 on business class fare.

Melbourne to get V Australia

10 February The arrival of the V Australia’s first aircraft has brought with it good news for Melbournites, with the city named as a network port for Los Angeles services.

LAN expands South American Airpass

10 February LAN has expanded its popular South American Airpass for 2009 to include new pricing levels for tour operators, new routes and two booking-class options.

Etihad sets new passenger record

9 February Etihad Airways is defying the trends by recording a massive 106 percent increase in passengers to and from Australia in 2008.

Etihad names Chicago as next US port

4 February Etihad Airways will begin flights to the US city of Chicago from 2 September, 2009, making it the second US port after New York.

SIA cuts more fuel costs

4 February Singapore Airlines will reduce fuel surcharges on short and medium-haul sectors for tickets issued from today, with charges cut between five and 21 percent.

Qantas profits slump 68 percent

4 February Qantas has announced its half-year profit results which show a 68 percent drop in pre-tax profits over the same period last year.

Emirates goes triple daily from Melbourne

3 February Emirates Airline’s will add an extra daily flight to its Melbourne-Dubai schedules, taking its frequencies to triple daily from today.

Emirates takes A380 to Sydney-Auckland

2 February Emirates has expanded its A380 network with the commencement of commercial services from Dubai to Australia and New Zealand.

Air NZ makes more Tasman cuts

2 February Air New Zealand has confirmed it will make changes to its Dunedin services, with Sydney flights suspended from 16 April to 24 October 2009.

Air NZ cuts last Hamilton flight

30 January Air New Zealand has confirmed it will suspend its remaining trans-Tasman service into and out of Hamilton.

SIA adapts route network

30 January Singapore Airlines is making further adjustments to its route network, to better match capacity with changing demand.

Boeing sets date for B787 flight

28 January Boeing has scheduled the first series of flights for its revolutionary new 787 Dreamliner, with the commercial jet's first take-off set for the second quarter of 2009.

ATR sets sales record

28 January Regional aircraft manufacturer, ATR has reported a record US$1.3 billion turnover for the year, with sales of its turboprop aircraft growing 140 percent over the past three years.

APT increases NT Short Break bonus

28 January APT has increased its companion discount fares to 50 percent.

Etihad codeshares with Bangkok Airways

27 January Etihad Airways will extend its global network following the signing of a new codeshare agreement with Thailand’s Bangkok Airways.

Cathay adds more flights

26 January Cathay Pacific is increasing flights to three key destinations in response to sustained customer demand.

CX goes mobile

23 January Cathay Pacific Airways has added Mobile Check-in to its growing list of customer services.

SWISS rolls out new First

23 January SWISS International Airlines has commenced a progressive roll-out of its new First Class cabin, which feature private suites.

SIA launches world first for entertainment

23 January The launch of Singapore Airlines new Airbus A330-300 medium-haul aircraft has heralded the airline’s latest upgrade to cabin products and inflight entertainment.

Air NZ sets new sales record

22 January Air New Zealand’s online sales strategy is working with the airline setting a new record for global online sales last week, with NZ$34.3 million of tickets sold.

SIA names Paris as next A380 port

20 January Singapore Airlines will commence Airbus A380 super jumbo services between Singapore and Paris from 1 June 2009.

Still no answers for Air NZ

20 January French authorities have confirmed they still do not know the cause of the A320 accident off the coast of France last November.

SWISS named Best Airline for Europe

17 January Swiss International Air Lines has been voted "Best Airline for Europe", by the readers of Germany's reputed Business Traveller magazine for the third year in succession.

Qantas launches A380 services on Kangaroo route

16 January Qantas has extended its A380 network into Asia and Europe today with the launch of its inaugural flights to Singapore and London from Sydney.

SWISS cuts fuel costs again

15 January SWISS has again made cuts to its fuel charges as global fuel prices plummet.

Airlines blitz Bali

14 January The skies between Bali and Australia are buzzing with increased activity with Jetstar and Virgin Blue both commencing services from various Australian ports in recent months, and Garuda Indonesia increasing its frequency from Perth and Brisbane.

Etihad launches flying F1 billboard

14 January Sydney’s skies have been brightened with the unveiling of Etihad’s promotional livery to showcase its Formula 1 credentials, with a new wide-bodied Airbus A340-600 decked out in special F1 colours.

BA relaunches amenity kits

14 January British Airways has re-launched its Club World business class amenity kits with a new range of luxury products from Elemis to ensure customers arrive refreshed and revived at their destination.

Austrian cuts Mumbai

13 January Austrian Airlines has announced it will cancel all scheduled services to and from Mumbai from 1 February 2009.

SWISS sets passenger records in 2008

13 January Despite a challenging economic environment, SWISS has set a new records for passenger and cargo, jumping 10.3 percent on the previous year.

Qantas expands Kalgoorlie access

12 January Qantas continues to expand its regional network with the announcement of new double daily direct services between Kalgoorlie and Adelaide from 1 March.

New Years specials from Etihad

11 January Etihad Airways has released special fares from Australia to destinations across its global network, including favourite cities such as London, Paris, Abu Dhabi, Dublin, Moscow, Munich and Cairo, for less than $2,000 return.

China Southern sets record in 2008

9 January Despite the global slowdown, China Southern Airlines carried a record 5.98 million passengers in 2008, while flying 5.68 million safe flight hours.

Tiger cuts fares in half

8 January Tiger Airways has launched a five day sale with half price seats available across its entire Australian network.

World’s largest flies to Sydney

8 January Australia is set to gain from an announcement that the world’s largest airline – Delta – will commence flights between Atlanta and Sydney, via Los Angeles, from July 2009.

Emirates adds e-boarding

8 January Emirates is set to cut the time taken to check in at Australian airports with the introduction of a new e-boarding pass (eBP) which can be printed at home or in the office.

Virgin celebrates 25 years

7 January Virgin Atlantic is going back to the future to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a A$12.3 million marketing campaign looking at the fun, fashion and aircraft of the past two and a half decades.

SQ adds new aircraft and new seats

7 January Singapore Airlines is set to deploy its new Airbus A330-300 regional aircraft into Australia and Japan.

Emirates teams with Virgin Blue

6 January Emirates and Virgin Blue have teamed up to add more value for frequent flyers.

More choice with SQ

6 January Travellers flying Singapore Airlines economy class can now purchase a specific preferred seat when they make their seat selection for applicable economy class bookings, including KrisFlyer redemption bookings, on singaporeair.com.au.

To Russia with twice the love

5 Januray Emirates Airlines is responding to passenger demand for increased frequency to Russia with a move to double daily flights to Moscow from 2 February.

Will open skies mean closed businesses?

6 January With the Federal Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) suggesting Australia’s skies should be opened to allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes, Traveltalk’s aviation expert, Geoffrey Thomas, turned his attention to the potential ramifications and risks surrounding this controversial proposal.

Etihad named airline of the year

18 December Etihad Airways has been voted ‘airline of the year’ at the 2008 Arabian Business Achievement Awards, rounding off a year of accolades for the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.

V Australia launches with super low fares

17 December After a delayed start while waiting for new aircraft, V Australia Airlines has surprised many in the industry with a special $1199 fare to launch its new US services – saving up to 45 percent off standard fare levels.

Qantas gets second A380

16 December Qantas has taken delivery of its second A380 aircraft in Toulouse, France, with the aircraft scheduled to arrive in Sydney tomorrow morning, 17 December.

Hawaiian adds third Vegas flight

16 December Growing demand has seen Hawaiian Airlines announce the addition of a third flight between Honolulu and Las Vegas, starting 23 February 2009.

SIA begins Riyadh services

15 December Singapore Airlines has launched its inaugural flight between Singapore and Riyadh, via Dubai, with a special celebration and gifts in the gate-hold room before boarding.

Emirates SFO flights claim green flight record

12 December Emirates' will launch a new sustainability program, when it begins its new San Francisco - Dubai flights on 15 December.

Qantas to resume Bangkok flights

5 December Qantas has confirmed it will resume scheduled resume services to Bangkok from this Saturday - 6 December.

THAI resumes schedule Bangkok services

5 December Thai Airways International will resume normal operations at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airport from today.

Emirates to boost recovery services to Thailand

4 December Emirates will further boost its initiatives to facilitate travel for passengers affected due to the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, with the operation of two additional, special flights.

Oneworld named best alliance

3 December Oneworld has been named the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the sixth year running in the World's Travel Awards.

CX to resume Bangkok flights

3 December Cathay Pacific will resume its flights to Bangkok on Friday, 5 December.

Qantas adds third relief flight

2 December Qantas will operate a third relief flight between Phuket and Singapore in the early hours of Thursday, 4 December.

THAI flies 34 special flights

2 December With Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports remaining closed, Thai Airways International has committed to continuing operation of special flights to transport inconvenienced passengers.

Solomon flights start today

2 December Pacific Blue has commenced flights from Brisbane to the Solomon Islands today, with the inaugural flight departing Queensland at 10.10am.

Bodies retrieved from Air NZ crash site

2 December French search and rescue divers have found a third body and the cockpit of the A320 which crashed into the Mediterranean last week.

Etihad launches maiden flight to Moscow

2 December Etihad Airways has expanded its network with the inauguration of its maiden flights between Abu Dhabi and Moscow.

Tiger banks group profit despite spending spree

1 December After a massive expansion throughout Asia and Australia and more new aircraft, Tiger Aviation - parent company of Tiger Airways and Tiger Airways Australia - has declared a full year group consolidated profit after tax.

Air New Zealand recovers flight recorder

1 December Despite confirming the loss of all crew aboard the crashed Airbus A320, Air New Zealand management have confirmed the retrieval of the first flight recorder, which is expected to provide clues as to the reasons behind the crash.

East Timor to get dedicated airline

1 December Despite its still turbulent relations with neighbouring Indonesia, East Timor government officials are confident they can open the new nation as a business and tourism destination and are negotiating to secure a national airline.

GA holds off Brisbane launch

1 December Garuda Indonesia has amended its decision to relaunch its Brisbane-Denpasar flights until further notice, following slower than anticipated sales being attributed to the global financial crisis.

Air New Zealand A320 crashes in Med

28 November A leased Airbus A320 aircraft, owned by Air New Zealand, has crashed into the Mediterranean.

Virgin Blue upgrades premium economy

28 November Virgin Blue has boosted its premium economy product to provide even more value.

Double glory for Emirates

28 November Emirates Airline has continued its award-winning run with another two accolades at the annual Aviation Business Awards, which were held in Abu Dhabi this week.

Extension for Hawaii early birds

27 November Hawaiian Airlines has extended its ‘Hiki Mua Manu’ earlybird air fare offer to enable travel up to 10 July, 2009.

Qantas cuts profit outlook

27 November With declining demand for international air travel, Qantas has announced a reduced profit outlook for the financial year, with chief executive, Geoff Dixon downgrading the forecast to around $500 million.

Qantas commences Sydney-Buenos Aires services

24 November Qantas has commenced operation of the first non-stop flights between Australia and South America, with the launch of services between Sydney and Buenos Aires.

Tiger gives away free seats

24 November Tiger Airways has celebrated its first birthday by giving away more free seats and slashing fares across a range of routes.

Qatar Airways scoops double award honours

20 November Following on from last year’s success, Qatar Airways has scooped two more prestigious accolades at the World Travel Awards, being named the Middle East’s Leading Business Class Airline, as well as offering the region’s leading airline Lounge.

BA launches mobile phone check in

18 November British Airways has launched remote check-in via mobile phones with wireless connectivity.

Boeing amends B747-8 production program

18 November Boeing has advised an adjusted schedule for production and delivery of its Boeing 747-8 aircraft.

China Southern boosts Christmas flights

19 November China Southern Airlines will increase its frequencies to daily services between Sydney and China from 2 December until 15 February 2009, to accommodate increased demand in the peak Christmas and New Year periods.

Low fares stimulate market growth

14 November Anyone questioning the value of competition when it comes to increasing business need only look to the latest figures released by the Australian Government’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, which show the difference in growth on highly competitive, versus non-competitive air routes in Australia.

Virgin Blue to Bali

13 November Virgin Blue will commence services between Perth and Bali on 1 December.

Smooth as silk to KL

13 November The relationship between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Singapore Airlines (SQ) has been strengthened following the decision to include SQ’s sister airline, SilkAir, in the existing codeshare arrangement on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route.

Air China launches Airbus A330s between Beijing-Dubai

11 November Air China is deploying its new fleet of Airbus A330s onto its Beijing-Dubai route, effective immediately.

SAA deploys flagship aircraft to Perth route

11 November Big demand by leisure and business passengers has seen South African Airways deploy its newest aircraft, the state-of-the-art A340-600, onto the Perth-Johannesburg route.

China Southern cuts fuel surcharge

11 November China Southern Airlines has reduced one-way fuel surcharges between Australia and China.

Emirates goes double to Milan

10 November Emirates will increase its frequency to Milan to double daily from 1 January 2009.

Air Tahiti Nui offer last minute special

7 Novenber Travellers able to book a Tahiti getaway by 30 November will make huge savings, with a new ‘Majestic Tahiti’ deal launched by Air Tahiti Nui.

SIA sounds warning after half-year profit

7 November Singapore Airlines is greeting its latest profit announcement with mixed feelings.

Virgin starts Port Moresby flights

5 November Virgin Blue’s international airline, Pacific Blue, has commenced its Brisbane to Port Moresby services using its fleet of Boeing 737-800 jet aircraft.

SIA offers preferred seat selection

5 November Singapore Airlines has enhanced its online bookings to now allow passengers access preferred seating.

Qantas signs on ninemsn

4 November Qantas has added Internet news services to its A380 offering with a ninemsn providing hourly updates, via a link to ninemsn.

Air NZ speeds domestic airports

3 November Air New Zealand has launched a new range of technical and design innovations that will help customers save time and get through domestic airports faster.

Perth welcomes new low cost flights

3 November Perth has welcomed its newest low cost airline, with the arrival of AirAsia X’s inaugural flight between Kuala Lumpur and Western Australia yesterday.

Etihad takes three at World Travel Awards

30 October Etihad Airways has scooped top honours at the World Travel Awards (WTA), picking up a hat trick, including the top accolades for the Middle East’s leading airline, leading first class and leading travel website.

Qantas fined $20million for cargo price fixing

29 October Australia’s national flag carrier, Qantas, has entered a Deed of Settlement to pay fines of $20 million for participating in a price-fixing cartel within its freight division.

Hawaiian adds more long haul Airbus

28 October Hawaiian Airlines has today upgraded its long-range fleet with the acquisition of two new wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Air Mauritius reduces fuel surcharge

27 October Air Mauritius has amended its fuel surcharge with immediate effect.

More flights for Fiji

24 October Despite talk of recession and a looming financial crisis, short haul international travel from Australia is booming, with Asia attracting record numbers of visitors and Fiji showing strong signs of recovery.

Low fares drive air market

23 October Anyone questioning the value of competition to increase business need only look to the latest figures released by the Australian Government’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics which show the difference in growth on highly competitive, versus non-competitive air routes in Australia.

EK doubles up on Russia

Growing business and leisure tourism has seen Emirates Airline announce double daily flights to Moscow - with the launch of an extra daily service from 2 February 2009.

SriLankan and Etihad codeshare

23 October SriLankan Airlines and Etihad Airways have expanded their codeshare partnership.

SWISS lowers fuel surcharge

22 October SWISS has joined a growing number of airlines cutting fuel surcharges in the wake of collapsing oil prices, which are now hovering around US$66 per barrel.

Emirates opens Zurich lounge

22 October Emirates has rolled out its latest business lounge with Zurich, the latest airport to enjoy the upgraded facilities.

Virgin heads outback in WA

21 October Virgin Blue has launched flights to two new destinations in the Western Australian outback, along with an additional flight between Perth and Broome.

Jetstar to fly Gold Coast-Cairns

20 October Gold Coast Airport has welcomed news that Jetstar has committed to fly three times weekly flights into Cairns, linking two of Queensland’s key tourism cities.

Air NZ launches fuel saver technology

20 October Air New Zealand has begun flying its first RNP-enabled flight from Sydney to Queenstown, after becoming the first Airbus operator in the world to have an entire Airbus fleet enabled by Required Navigation Performance (RNP).

New BA Europe Early Birds

20 October British Airways has launched an early bird offer to London which includes a complimentary side trip to Europe.

Tiger Airways to expand Asia and Australia

16 October Tiger Airways has confirmed it is in discussions with airports from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia and Australia to build new destinations across the Asia-Pacific region.

Qatar to launch daily Doha-New York flights

16 October Despite the ongoing Boeing strike, Qatar Airways remains on schedule to launch daily non-stop flights between Doha and New York, with flights scheduled to depart from 26 October.

Mildura moves into jet service

16 October Virgin Blue Airlines has made its first foray in to north-west Victoria with the commencement of new daily e-jet services between Melbourne and Mildura.

Lufthansa launches Europe Early Birds

15 October Recent capacity increases on its European sectors has seen Lufthansa release early bird specials to Europe, with prices starting from $1436 plus taxes.

Pacific Blue launches AKL-SYD

15 October Pacific Blue has begun flying its newest trans-Tasman route with flights between Auckland to Sydney starting today.

Norfolk Air suspends some services

15 October A detailed review of operations has seen Norfolk Air suspend a number of services to and from Norfolk Island.

Air Canada adds new ski fares

13 October Air Canada has launched a great deal for Australians looking for a spectacular ski holiday.

Emirates cuts fares to Europe

10 October Emirates has launched a new range of discounted European summer fares to destinations including France, Italy, Greece and Germany.

Qantas flies A380 to New Zealand

9 October Qantas will fly its new A380 aircraft into New Zealand tonight, marking the first time a super-jumbo has visited the nation.

Etihad sets new records

9 October Etihad Airways continues to set new records with its latest passenger figures for the first nine months, which show a 35 percent rise on the same period last year.

Virgins join in interline agreement

8 October Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Blue have announced a new interline agreement to provide seamless travel on both carriers.

CSA adds new flights and schedules

8 October China Southern Airlines will introduce new daylight schedules from Sydney and Melbourne to Guangzhou, China from 26 October.

Hawaiian builds interisland fleet

8 October Hawaiian Airlines has committed to a significant increase in interisland flights with 110 new weekly services to be added by the end of 2008.

Last minute fares for Tahiti

8 Ocotber Air Tahiti Nui has launched a new ‘La Orana Tahiti’ deal for quick bookings and 2008 departures.

Air NZ downsizes Hamilton flights

6 October Air New Zealand is to suspend services between Hamilton and Sydney and the Gold Coast during low season periods for 2009.

Delta-Northwest merger approved

6 October US-based airline groups, Delta and Northwest are set to merge to create one of the world’s largest global carriers.

Pacific Blue adds Solomon Islands

6 October Pacific Blue is expanding its footprint with more trans-Tasman flights and direct flights between Brisbane and the Solomon Islands.

V Australia start delayed

3 October Ongoing strike action at Boeing’s Seattle plant has forced Virgin Blue Airlines Group to delay its planned 15 December launch of long-haul international subsidiary V Australia.

SWISS opens mobile phone booking system

2 October SWISS has launched a new online service allowing customers to book their flights online from their mobile phone.

Bangkok Airways chases the vision

2 October Bangkok Airways recently announced its plan to become the leading airline for the Mekong region (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) within the next three years.

Garuda Indonesia offers Bali flight change

1 October With Garuda Indonesia set to recommence its Brisbane-Bali flights from 14 December, the airline is offering travellers currently ticketed to fly via Sydney the opportunity to transfer to a direct Garuda flight from Brisbane, without penalty.

SIA and SilkAir build KL frequency

1 October Singapore Airlines and SilkAir are increasing frequencies between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with up to 15 flights a day offered from 1 December 2008.

SIA offers Cartoon Network meal option

1 October Singapore Airlines has launched a fun meal option for children with specially designed lunch boxes featuring popular characters from Cartoon Network shows such as PowerPuff Girls and Ben 10.

Air NZ expands domestic sectors

30 September Air New Zealand will launch a new direct service between the North Island wine city of Masterton and Auckland from Monday 16 February 2009, using its Eagle Air subsidiary.

Continental flies to Sapporo for ski season

29 September Continental Airlines is increasing services to Japan to cater for growing demand for ski holidays in the popular resort city of Sapporo.

Tiger quadruples Singapore-KL

25 September Tiger Airways will increase flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by 400 percent from 1 December 2008.

Tiger farewells Darwin with $99.95 fares

25 September The high cost of operating from Darwin airport has seen ultra-low fare airline, Tiger Airways close its operations in the city after three years.

Qantas A380 to visit Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth

24 September Qantas has confirmed it will fly its new Airbus A380 to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth as part of its program of pilot training flights and promotional flights.

SIA adds more flights to Arabia and eastern Med

24 September Singapore Airlines is building its capacity and frequency into the booming Arabian Peninsula region with new operations to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, commencing on 14 December 2008.

Garuda restarts Brisbane flights

22 September Riding on the back of Pacific Blue’s announcement it will commence flights between Brisbane and Bali, Garuda Indonesia has responded with the re-instatement of its services from the Queensland capital.

Air Pacific launches Gold Coast flights

22 September Air Pacific will expand its Australia-Fiji services with the introduction of twice-weekly flights between the Gold Coast and Nadi.

Virgin stars new NZ flights

22 September Virgin Blue’s international subsidiary, Pacific Blue, has launched its first non-stop service from Melbourne to Auckland.

UA voted best for Asia

22 September United Airlines has been named the Best North American Airline in Asia at the recent Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards.

Qantas ready to take delivery of first A380

19 September Qantas is preparing to welcome its first Airbus A380 with the aircraft scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 9am on 21 September.

Pacific Blue heads to Bali

19 September Pacific Blue Airlines is expanding its international route network in Asia, with the launch of 11 direct flights a week between Australia and Bali from 1 December 2008.

Jetstar to fly daily Darwin-Bali

17 September Qantas is set to start a daily flight between Darwin and Denpasar Bali, commencing 3 December.

Virgin to fly Brisbane- Launceston

16 September Virgin Blue Airlines will launch a brand new seasonal service between Brisbane and Launceston to provide direct access between the two destinations over the popular summer months.

Air New Zealand cuts aircraft emissions

16 September Air New Zealand is reinforcing its claim to the title of the world’s most environmentally responsible airline by installing new equipment that will reduce the carbon emissions from its international jet fleet.

Virgin Blue Joins Forces with Airlines PNG

15 September Virgin Blue’s international airline, Pacific Blue, has entered into a Heads of Agreement with Airlines PNG that will lead to the commencement of code-share services between Port Moresby and Brisbane from November 2008.

Etihad enjoys record summer

15 September Etihad Airways has enjoyed its busiest northern summer period in its four year history, with more than 1.6 million passengers flying onboard the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s flights between June and August.

Qantas upgrades e-check

11 September Qantas is set to add a range of new online check-in options for passengers, including paperless check-in.

Air Mauritius cuts two-stop routes

10 September Air Mauritius has made major changes to its network and frequencies as the impact of jet fuel process bites hard.

Continental moves London and adds Rio

9 September Continental Airlines has made changes to its network with a move to London Heathrow, and new flights from Houston to Rio de Janeiro.

Virgin takes care of business

8 September Virgin Blue continues to expand its product line with the unveiling of a new suite of enhancements for the business market, including lie-flat international business class beds and a new, in-flight bar for long-haul overseas flights aboard V Australia.

AirAsia X names Melbourne

5 September AirAsia X, Malaysia’s low-cost carrier, has named Melbourne as its third Australian destination, with flights between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur set to commence on 12 November, initially with four flights per week, then increasing to daily from December.

UA adds MEL- LAX non stop flights

4 September United Airlines will operate a daily non-stop flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles to cater for increased demand over the Christmas period.

Qantas responds to CASA safety review

3 September Qantas continues to work to rebuild its safety reputation with chief executive, Geoff Dixon, confirming the airline will work closely with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to implement any recommendations contained in its review of the airline’s engineering and maintenance operations, which was received today.

Tiger doubles up Tasmania

3 September Tiger Airways is set to increase the number of flights it operates to double daily frequencies between Melbourne and both of its Tasmanian destinations of Launceston and Hobart.

Virgin increases business appeal

2 September Virgin Blue has unveiled a suite of new product enhancements for the business market, including lie-flat international business class beds, new in-flight bars for V Australia and a new ‘The Lounge’ facility at Sydney T2 domestic terminal.

Qantas readies for new A380

2 September The first Qantas Airbus A380 is a step closer to flying into Australia after departing Hamburg, Germany for Toulouse, France over the weekend.

Emirates offers double-daily changes for Perth

1 September Travellers flying from Perth will enjoy a double dose of luxury with Emirates adding a second daily flight to its schedule.

Qantas expands US codeshare

1 September Qantas is to grow its North American network with expanded codeshare relationships with US carriers Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

Polynesian Blue banks NZ$9.18 million

29 August Polynesian Blue Airlines has announced a record pre-tax profit of NZ$9.18 million dollars for the previous financial year – a 71 percent jump from last year’s pre-tax profit of NZ$5.363 million.

Tiger adds Perth-Adelaide daily

28 August Tiger Airways continues to spread its wings from its Adelaide hub with new flights between Perth and the South Australian capital from 1 March 2009.

NZ needs to up tourism spend

28 August Air New Zealand is calling on the government to increase its commitment to tourism in the face of softening global demand and travellers’ growing environmental consciousness.

Air NZ profits slump

27 August Fuel has been blamed for a 24 percent decline in profits for Air New Zealand, as the airline reported its financial performance yesterday.

Demand up for northern Europe

27 August Increasing interest for its upcoming winter program has seen Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) relaunch its popular seasonal Bangkok-Stockholm flights as well as new Copenhagen-Delhi and Copenhagen-Dubai routes.

Tiger Airways adds more to Alice Springs, Sunshine Coast and Perth

27 August Tiger Airways has continued its growth strategy from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport with additional services to three of its current routes.

Air NZ on track for bio-fuel trial

27 August Air New Zealand is progressing trials of sustainable fuels, moving a step closer to a bio-fuel test flight using one of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

Qatar flies Doha - New York daily non-stop

26 August Qatar Airways will operate direct non-stop daily services from its Doha hub to New York's JFK International Airport from 26 October, using a brand new Boeing 777.

Virgin expands in WA

26 August Virgin Blue is set to expand its presence in Western Australia with the launch of two new ports and the doubling of flights to and from Broome.

THAI cuts mid-week fares

25 August Thai Airways International has launched a special mid-week promotional fare to Bangkok, saving hundreds of dollars on standard fare levels.

No baggage bonus for Virgin Blue

25 August Virgin Blue has launched a new range of seasonal fares for travellers with no baggae.

More Cathay for Australia

25 August Growing demands for Australia has seen Cathay Pacific increase flights between Hong Kong and its key Australia gateways of Brisbane, Sydney and Perth.

Qantas offers iPhone site

22 August Riding on the popularity of mobile phones, Qantas has launched a 3G-version of the airline’s Website, designed especially for the new Apple iPhone.

Jetstar Asia flight damaged on landing

22 August More woes for Qantas group with a Jetstar Asia A320 flight partially sliding off a runway while landing in Cambodia.

Qantas A380 takes to the skies

21 August Qantas has reached another milestone with its A380 project, with the airline's first aircraft flying for the first time in its new Qantas livery.

Emirates launches UK getaway deals

20 August Emirates has launched a new range of UK fares from Western Australia, for bookings made before 8 September.

Virgin report shows ups and downs

20 August Virgin Blue has reported a year of mixed performance, with its Annual General Meeting showing revenues up, profits down and expansion for 2009.

SIA goes double daily Singapore-Delhi

19 August Singapore Airlines will increase its frequency on the Singapore-Delhi route to double daily up from the current nine flights a week, from 1 September 2008.

Etihad launches Belarus flights

19 August Etihad Airways became the first airline from the Gulf region to fly to Belarus, with the launch of a twice-weekly service to the country’s capital, Minsk.

SIA clocks 1000 A380 flights

19 August After commencing services in October 2008, Singapore Airlines has already loged more than 1000 commercial flights using its A380 super-jumbo.

Tiger confirms strong first quarter

19 August While other airline languish in the fear of rising petrol costs, Tiger Aviation has confirmed strong passenger growth of 73.7 percent for the three months ending 30 June 2008, compared to the previous year.

Austrian named among world’s best

18 August Skytrax has again named Austrian Airlines as one of the world’s best airline, with the carrier taking out three major awards.

Jetstar Asia voted best LCC in Asia

18 August Jetstar Asia continued the brand’s winning streak, being named as the 2008 SkyTrax Best Low-Cost Airline Award in Asia and South East Asia.

Virgin Blue strikes gold in Skytrax

15 August Virgin Blue has reclaimed its title of best low-cost airline (Australia/Pacific) in the latest Skytrax airline survey.

Air Tahiti Nui named best in Pacific

15 August Skytrax has named Air Tahiti Nui as the ‘Best Airline – Pacific Region’ and ‘Best Cabin Staff Pacific’, for the sixth consecutive year.

Qantas increase South Africa flights

15 August Qantas is to add a further flight to its Sydney-Johannesburg services, taking frequency from five to six flights per week.

Adelaide-Melbourne first for Tiger

15 August Melbourne has been named as the first destination to obtain increased capacity from Tiger Airways new Adelaide base.

Qantas adds more WA flights

14 August Growth across Western Australia’s mining and tourism sectors have seen Qantas announce it will increase capacity between Perth and the Western Australian regional destinations of Kalgoorlie, Newman, Paraburdoo and Port Hedland.

Austrian plays a new record

14 August Australian Airlines has set a new record with its first half-year data showing more than 5.2 million passengers flew with the carrier between January and June.

Qantas faces testing times

13 August I doubt if anyone within the Qantas management team would agree with the old adage that ‘all publicity is good publicity as long as they spell your name right’; but is our national carrier flying into trouble, or is it purely a victim of circumstance?

SIA goes all-business to LAX

13 August Less than three months after launching its non-stop all-business class flights to New York (Newark), Singapore Airlines has expanded the landmark service to include flights into Los Angeles.

Virgin cuts Sydney-Auckland to $199

13 August Virgin Blue has announced a major expansion of its international network, with new flights to and from Sydney.

Qantas grounds six B737s for checks

13 August Qantas is to remove six of its Boeing B737-400 aircraft from service while it cross-checks maintenance records relating to aircraft modification work carried out at one of its Australian facilities.

Tiger doubles up Perth-Melbourne

6 August Tiger Airways is to double its daily frequencies between Perth and Melbourne, with a staged increase 2 October.

Emirates begins superjumbo flights

6 August Only weeks after taking delivery of its first all-new Airbus super jumbo, Emirates has made history with its inaugural A380 flight into the United States.

Tiger opens Adelaide and closes Darwin

6 August The changing fortunes of the aviation sector have again come to the fore, with Tiger Airways outlining an aggressive expansion across Australia while closing down flights from its former Darwin hub.

CASA to work with Qantas

5 August Qantas has confirmed it will work with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on the latest review relating to some of the airline’s operations.

Tiger Airways suspends services to Darwin

1 August High fuel and the “uneconomical cost of operating to Darwin Airport”, has seen Tiger Airways suspend its services between Darwin and Singapore, and Darwin-Melbourne.

SWISS posts solid first-half profit

31 July With its fuel hedges partly offsetting substantially higher jet fuel prices, SWISS has achieved a solid result for the first half of 2008, with the group reporting earnings before interest and taxes of A$265 million (CHF262 million) for the first six months.

Air NZ revamps baggage costs

30 July Air New Zealand is slashing domestic baggage charges with passengers now allowed to increase their baggage weight to 25 kilograms.

Emirates buys 60 new aircraft

30 July Emirates has purchased 60 wide-bodied aircraft to support the expansion of its international route network, with the airline’s chief executive siging a letter of intent with Airbus for 30 Airbus A330-300s and 30 Airbus A350 XWBs.

Skywest cuts Mebourne

30 July WA-based regional carrier, Skywest Airlines, will suspend its Kalgoorlie-Melbourne flights from 3 November sa a result of poor economics.

Emirates to go twice from Brisbane

30 July Booming demand has seen Emirates announce it will increase its Brisbnae frequencies to double daily with a second daily service to Dubai from 2 February 2009.

SriLankan cuts to minimise fuel impact

30 July SriLankan Airlines is acting swiftly to minimise the impact of skyrocketing fuel prices with a series of decisive actions being employed throughout the airline.

Continental gets flat beds

29 July Continental Airlines has joined the trend with the installation of new 180-degree lie-flat beds for business class passengers.

Bali gets triple daily from Perth

29 July Bali continues to set new records with Garuda Indonesia announcing it will begin triple-daily flights to the island from next month.

Emirates takes first A380 into fleet

29 July Emirates has today taken delivery of its first Airbus A380 superjumbo, with a handover at the aircraft maker’s new Jürgen Thomas A380 Delivery Centre.

Joyce named as new Qantas chief

28 July Jetstar chief executive, Alan Joyce is set to take over the reins at Qantas following the retirement of Geoff Dixon in November.

Etihad to fly from Melbourne

28 July After enjoying enormous success with its Sydney and Brisbane services, Etihad Airways, has announced dates for a non-stop daily services from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, from March 2009.

Virgin launches Melbourne-Auckland

28 July Virgin Blue is to commence more flights across the Tasman with daily direct services between Melbourne and Auckland from 22 September 2008.

New technology to help NZ ski flights

28 July Holidaymakers travelling between Australia and Queenstown are set to benefit from a new technology that is hoped will improve the reliability of Air New Zealand’s services into the country’s winter playground.

Qantas investigates mid-air drama

25 July Qantas has confirmed one of its B747-400 aircraft operating between Hong Kong and Melbourne was diverted to Manila today following a loss of cabin pressure.

Emirates creates jumbo London landmark

24 July Emirates Airline has unveiled a new landmark for London - a one-third scale model of an Airbus A380 at the gateway to Heathrow Airport.

Air NZ bags Virgin

23 July Air New Zealand has launched a scathing attack on Pacific Blue over DJ’s plans to introduce new fees for baggage.

LAN and Qantas go non-stop to Argentina

21 July Growing demand for South America travel has seen LAN ARGENTINA announce the introduction of codeshare services from Australia, with three new non-stop flights per week between Sydney and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Tiger Airways builds fleet and service

21 July Tiger Airways has signed a contract with Melbourne-based John Holland Aviation Services to expand its current engineering support arrangements, to also include major heavy maintenance ‘C’ Checks of Tiger Airways’ Australian based Airbus aircraft.

Air NZ takes off for Beijing

18 July Air New Zealand has commenced its first non-stop service between Auckland and Beijing, with a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft departing Auckland last night.

Alitalia expands network

18 July Alitalia has expanded its international network, introducing five weekly flights between its Rome hub and Los Angeles.

Air NZ offers $2 airfares

17 July Air New Zealand is set to run a $2 seat sale promotion using its website - http://www.grabseat.co.nz.

Austrian flies record passengers

17 July Australian Airlines has set a new record with its first half-year passenger data showing more than 5.2 million passengers flew with the carrier.

Etihad places massive order

15 July While many other airlines cut back their fleets, Etihad Airways has placed one of the largest aircraft orders in commercial aviation history at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow.

Continental named best in US

15 July Continental Airlines has taken out a string of awards in Executive Travel Magazine's 2008 Leading Edge Awards.

Cathay flying high

15 July Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair continue to show growth with its June passenger data showing an increase of 12.7 percent increase over the same month last year.

Toll separates from Virgin Blue

14 July Logistics company, Toll, has outlined its exit plan to separate from Virgin Blue with a special dividend offering, providing all Toll shareholders with Virgin Blue shares on a one for one basis.

Etihad flies high in 2008

10 July After its most successful global launch in Sydney, Etihad Airways has continued its success with a record-breaking 2008, as its passenger figures for the first six months jump 41 per cent on the same period last year.

LAN offers Business Class Airpass

10 July LAN Airlines has expanded its popular South America Airpass, introducing a new Business Class version.

RJ grows pax 30 percent

6 July Royal Jordanian Airlines continues to grow with passenger numbers increasing by 30 percent in May, compared to the corresponding pervious year.

V Australia adds Brisbane flights

4 July Virgin Group international airline, V Australia, has expanded its plans for transpacific flights with an announcement today that the airline will launch direct flights between Brisbane and Los Angeles.

Qantas to open domestic business lounges

3 July Qantas has begun its launch of new, dedicated domestic business class lounges within its key airport terminals.

Air New Zealand fares to rise

3 July Air New Zealand has announced airfare increases across many routes as a measure to combat record high jet fuel prices.

More flights to Africa

2 July South African Airways has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to allow additional flights on the Australia-South Africa ‘Wallaby’ route.

Qantas adds new aircraft for Perth-Melbourne

2 July Qantas has begun its proposed changes to aircraft, replacing its Boeing 747-300 aircraft on the Perth-Melbourne route with brand new Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

CX fined for cargo breach

1 July Cathay Pacific Airways has entered into a plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the ongoing investigation relating to air cargo services.

Air New Zealand seeks industry input

1 July Air New Zealand has appointed one of the country’s top tourism operators, to its Board.

Tiger claims best performance

1 July Tiger Airways Australia has commenced its reporting of on-time performance and cancellations, with a perfect score in its first report.

China Southern flies to Kathmandu

30 June China Southern Airlines now offers nonstop flights from Guangzhou to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, gateway to the Himalayas and the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest.

Fly early bird with Air Tahiti Nui

24 June Get in early for new early bird fares to Tahiti, which are on sale until 6 July.

Qantaslink cuts for fuel

17 June QantasLink has joined its sister airlines in Qantas group with news it will cut services to compensate for fuel costs.

Jet Airways launches hot new fare

17 June Jet Airways has released a range of hot new fares from Australia to a range of destinations in India.

Tiger hits out at Qantas cuts

17 June The war of words continues between Tiger Airways and Qantas Group, with the low-cost airline criticising ongoing news relating to service cuts within Qantas group.

Goodbye to paper tickets

16 June It’s the end of an era, with air travellers waving goodbye to paper tickets, with all global airlines now required to operate 100 per cent on ‘paperless’ e-tickets.

More flights for Bali

16 June Jetstar has launched sales on its latest international network expansion – a three times weekly service between Perth and Bali using an Airbus A320 aircraft.

Virgin Blue cuts flights for fuel

15 June Virgin Blue has followed Qantas’ lead by axing flights to cut costs in response to record-high fuel prices.

Emirates adds more India

15 June Emirate has announced plans to advance its Indian operation with 18 additional flights per week from 1 July 2008.

Hawaiian expands interisland fleet

10 June Hawaiian Airlines has announced that it will expand its interisland fleet with the addition of four Boeing 717-200 aircraft to better meet the needs of Hawaii’s interisland travelers in the wake of the shutdown of Aloha Airlines on 1 April.

Fuel saving arrivals trialled in US

10 June A ground-breaking initiative at San Francisco Airport to increase the efficiency of air traffic is resulting in significant fuel and emission savings for Air New Zealand.

Gold Coast back on Japanese map

9 June While many Australian destinations are enduring airline cuts from Japan, the Gold Coast is bucking the trend, attracting an increase in direct flights.

Fuel places global prosperity at risk

9 June Global economies will be at risk if airlines are forced to dramatically reduce their operations and close important routes due to record high fuel costs, according to a peak tourism industry association.

Tiger commits to low fares

6 June With Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue cutting their networks, low fare competitor, Tiger Airways is already making moves to secure services into destinations abandoned by other airlines.

Air NZ cuts capacity and ups fares

6 June Air New Zealand has adjusted its capacity and is set to launch a range of pricing changes in response to the continued high cost of fuel and changes in demand.

SIA gets new look for crew

6 June Singapore Airlines male cabin crew will take on a fresh look from the end of the month with a new uniform to complement the legendary sarong kebaya worn by the airline’s female cabin crew.

ATEC: Australian tourism facing disaster

5 June Australia’s peak tourism industry body, the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has come out for the second time in a few days portraying tourism as an industry facing disaster.

Fuel forces UA capacity cuts

5 June United Airlines has announced significant fleet, capacity and personnel changes, to meet a new future with skyrocketing fuel prices.

Garuda Indonesia expands Australian capacity

5 June Garuda Indonesia has responded to increased demand for Bali by adding extra capacity from Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney, with further additions from Perth anticipated.

Jetstar Asia expands network

4 June Jetstar’s low fare Asia airline, is expanding its network to include Cambodia’s two major cities - Siem Reap and Phnom.

Technical delays hit Qantas

4 June The prolonged dispute over wages and salaries is biting hard into Qantas with an ongoing wave of delays resulting in passenger protests and Federal Police called to settle an uprising in the airline’s business class lounge.

Goodbye to paper tickets

3 June After several years of transition, the era of paper tickets has disappeared with airlines now required to operate 100 per cent on ‘paperless’ e-tickets.

Norfolk Island gets new airline

3 June Norfolk Island will see the arrival of a new airline, with Norfolk Air signing a contract with Nauru-based Our Airline to provide flights between Norfolk Island and Australia from 21 May 21 next year.

Air Pacific flies into profit

2 June Fiji’s return to favour with travellers has helped the nation’s airline, Air Pacific Group, achieve a record profit before tax of F$38.2-million for the financial year ending 31 March 2008.

More Jetstar for Newcastle

2 June Newcastle Airport has expanded its services, with Jetstar adding more flights from the coastal city.

Air Pacific increases fares

30 May Air Pacific has joined other airlines by increasing its fares as a result of record high oil prices.

UA teams with Jet Airways

29 May United Airlines and India’s Jet Airways have signed a codeshare agreement that will significantly expand the number of flights available to customers of both carriers to travel between the US and India.

SAS offers new flexibility for Europe

29 May Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has launched a new, completely flexible fare structure on its intercontinental services to Europe, allowing complete combinability between all service cabins and booking classes on the one round-trip ticket.

Emirates leads polls

28 May Emirates Airline continues its award-winning streak with four major awards for excellence at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2008 ceremony in Dubai.

OpenSkies begins sales for all business flights

28 May British Airways has announced the commencement of seat sales for its all-new subsidiary, OpenSkies, which will operate a new level of premium services across the Atlantic.

Qantas makes desperate changes to routes

28 May Continuing high fuel prices has seen Qantas group annunce a new range of cost cutting measures, iuncluding the axing of flights and capacity cuts.

SIA confirms e-ticket completion

27 May Singapore Airlines has advised it has completed its implementation of e-ticketing systems across all its sectors, and those of its 138 interline partners.

Emirates 100% paperless

26 May Emirates has confirmed it is now operating in a 100% paperless ticket environment, weeks ahead of IATA’s 1 June deadline.

Etihad opens new business lounge

26 May Etihad Airways has opened a new dedicated business class lounge at its Abu Dhabi airport home base, offering customers a state-of-the-art sanctuary for relaxation, entertainment and around-the-clock dining.

Pilot shortage sends Jetstar offshore

26 May Qantas confirmed its low-fare subsidiary, Jetstar, was supplementing its domestic recruitment for pilots with overseas placements.

Qantas adds premium cabin to Pacific

23 May Qantas has opened sales for its new premium economy cabin on flights from Australia to Los Angeles.

SIA increases A380 to London

23 May The popularity of new A380 flights between Singapore and London has seen Singapore Airlines announce it will add additional services on the sector from 16 July 2008.

Fuel pushes Qantas fares up

23 May Record high fuel prices has seen Qantas announce increases to its international and domestic fares.

SWISS business seat sets new benchmark

22 May Switzerland’s national airline, SWISS, is adopting a mould-breaking new seating concept for its intercontinental business class cabins.

Passenger loads fall

22 May The economic slowdown in the United States is biting into the airline industry's revenue according to a report presented at the 2008 Airline Distribution Conference in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Virgin lands B777 simulator

22 May Virgin Blue’s new international Airline, V Australia, has officially commissioned Australia’s first Boeing 777 aircraft simulator, as it prepares to launch long-haul flights into the US later this year.

Norfolk Air heads to Gold Coast

21 May Norfolk Air has confirmed plans to commence direct flights into the Gold Coast from 2 October 2008.

Qantas hits back at Union

21 May Qantas has struck out at the ACTU following its dispute with the Australian Licensed Engineers Association (ALAEA), stating comments made by the ACTU fundamentally misrepresented industrial relations at the airline.

Jetstar to fly daily Japan service to Gold Coast

20 May Jetstar is set to change its current daily Sydney-Osaka-Brisbane services to route through the Gold Coast.

Fiji proves resilient

19 May Fiji tourism officials are cautiously optimistic they have turned the corner, with arrival figures showing a strong first quarter for Australian visitors.

Qantas trials fuel saver technology

19 May Qantas is trailing a new technology that maximises aircraft efficiencies by optimising the aircraft’s flight path and ‘tuning’ into optimal weather conditions, wind patterns.

SIA goes all-business flights to Big Apple

16 May Singapore Airlines has redefined long-haul air travel with the launch of its new all-business class flights, on the world’s longest commercial flight between Singapore and New York.

SIA writes billion dollar profit

16 May Singapore Airlines Group continues its stellar growth, reporting a SG$2.1 billion dollar profit for the year.

Air NZ builds Aviation Academy

Air New Zealand is to establish an aviation academy to develop and nurture home-grown pilots, cabin crew, engineers and specialist airline management staff.

Union cancels Qantas action

16 May Qantas has had a win over industrial action proposed by the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineer’s Association (ALAEA), with the union cancelling today’s plans for strike action.

Tasman and Pacific fares to jump

15 May Air New Zealand’s trans-Tasman and Pacific Island airfares are to rise by an average three percent as a result of ever increasing fuel prices.

Air Asia X to land in Perth

15 May Burgeoning low fare airline, Air Asia X, has announced new flights to commence between its Kuala Lumpur hub and the Western Australian gateway of Perth.

Qantas prepares for union dispute

15 May Qantas has put in place measures to minimise the likely impact on customers during the Australian Licensed Engineers Association’s (ALAEA) four-hour stop work meetings on Friday.

Jetstar chases family with new website

14 May Low fare airline, Jetstar, is launching a new website dedicated to family travel, with specialised information and tips for travelling with children.

LAN launches new South America Airpass

14 May LAN Airlines has released its 2008-09 South America Airpass, offering a wide range of travel options within and between nine countries - Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Austrian adds flexi-fare option

14 May Austrian Airlines has launched a competitive new range of Super Flexi Non Seasonal fares for travel from Australia to Europe.

Etihad opens Sydney maintenance

13 May Etihad Airways has opened a new dedicated aircraft line maintenance facility at Sydney airport - the first of its kind outside the airline’s home base of Abu Dhabi.

Report shows more crashes and fewer deaths

9 May The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 44th annual Safety Report, showing

SriLankan Airlines names new CEO

8 May SriLankan Airlines has appointed Manoj Gunawardena as its new chief executive.

Super low business fares to Europe

8 May Online discount travel agent, Direct Flights International, has launched a range of business class fares from from Australia to Europe starting from $5456, including taxes.

Air Canada ups fares

8 May Air Canada has launched a five per cent price increase effective immediately.

RJ skyrockets revenue

6 May Royal Jordanian continues its massive growth with first quarter operating revenues climbing 31 per cent over the same period last year.

Stoddart departs OzJet

6 May After failed plans to launch an ambitious all-business class airline, Melbourne-based millionaire and Formula One racing identity, Paul Stoddart, has confirmed he has sold his stake in charter airline, OzJet.

Durban gets new EK daily

6 May Following the successful start of South African operations last year, Emirates is expanding its presence across the region with new daily flights to Durban from 1 December 2008.

Virgin Blue unveils e-Jet simulator

7 May Virgin Blue group has commissioned a brand new simulator at its Brisbane training centre to train pilots for its new Embraer e-jets.

Air Canada ups fuel charge

6 May Air Canada will increase its fuel surcharge on all tickets issued in Australia from 20 May.

Business Class driving up fares

6 March Claims of a slowing of air travel and skyrocketing fuel prices has done little to kerb demand for business class airfares, which have jumped four per cent in the first quarter of 2008.

Qantas opens west coast base

5 May Qantas has announced it will establish a pilot base in Perth at the end of the year to service additional capacity increases and frequencies.

DJ prepares for profit dive

15 April Virgin Blue has made an announcement to the Australian Stock Exchange that it expects a significant slump in its profits.

Jetstar expands Asia

15 April Jetstar has entered into a strategic and commercial partnership with Vietnam-based Pacific Airlines to support future growth within Vietnamese and intra Asia markets, under the Jetstar brand.

Emirates adds San Francisco

14 April Four weeks after announcing the start of services to Los Angeles, Emirates, will also launch flights into San Francisco, from 26 October - taking its total number of US destinations to four.

Air NZ disappointed with Boeing 787 delay

14 April Air New Zealand has received confirmation from Boeing that it can expect a delay in the delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

Alaska heads to Maui

11 April Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is set to commence a new service between the US mainland and Maui, Hawaii.

SWISS maintains high seat loads

11 April SWISS has maintained its systemwide seat load factor at a high 76.8 per cent for the first quarter of 2008, keeping the airline above the average among Europe's air carriers.

UA signs on with Aer Lingus

10 April United Airlines and Aer Lingus have signed an agreement to offer codeshare flights, which will expand the international destinations and frequent flyer benefits offered to customers of both carriers.

Virgin and Vietnam open interline

9 April Virgin Blue and Vietnam Airlines have announced an interline agreement which will provide international travellers with seamless connections from Melbourne and Sydney to Vietnam and beyond.

Size matters to Lufthansa

8 April Lufthansa is undergoing a major enhancement program of its fleet and inflight products to meet the ever-increasing demands of travellers.

SAS flies greener paths

8 April Scandinavian Airline Services (SAS) has committed to a new flight system that is reported to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Emirates adds daily non-stops to Milan and Rome

8 April Emirates Airline will soon offer more non-stop daily flights to Italy, with daily flights scheduled for Milan and Rome.

Royal Brunei makes summer changes

7 April Royal Brunei Airlines has cut its Sydney and Bali flights as part of its Northern Summer schedule, which comes into effect from 1 June.

THAI lifts the bar for east coast

7 April Thai Airways International has added two additional flights from Melbourne, taking its frequencies to double daily.

Air NZ improves baggage

7 April Air New Zealand has confirmed it is planning to introduce a simplified baggage allowance process for its domestic passengers.

SIA goes three times to Brisbane

4 April Singapore Airlines has increased frequencies between Singapore and Brisbane with the addition of three more services per week – commencing immediately.

Hawaiian heads to Oakland

4 April Hawaiian Airlines is expanding its network again with the launch of a nonstop daily service between Honolulu and Oakland, California, from 1 May.

Livery Delivery

4 April Emirates latest baby has been born, with the airline’s new Airbus A380 rolling out of a paint hangar in Hamburg today, branded with the Emirates' livery.

Qantas trials see-through screening

2 April Qantas has commenced demonstrations of new-age security screening technology that allows security teams to see through fabrics to search for concealed weapons.

Tiger builds international flights

2 April Tiger Airways continues to build its international sectors with increased frequencies to two of its most popular summer destinations – Perth and Ho Chi Minh City.

Aer Lingus launches Belfast - Paris flights

2 April Ireland’s Aer Lingus has introduced daily flights from Belfast International to Paris, Charles De Gaulle, with introductory fares from under A$50, one-way, including taxes and charges.

Codeshare for Ethiopian and Lufthansa

1 April Ethiopian Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines have commenced daily codeshare services between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Frankfurt, Germany.

Oman Air adds inflight text

1 April Oman Air has joined a growing number of Middle East airlines planning to offer OnAir’s inflight passenger communications services, which allows passengers to use mobile phones and access Internet while flying.

Qantas gets inflight connectivity

31 March Qantas is set to roll out new technology on its domestic aircraft from late 2008 that will allow customers to send and receive email and SMS, via mobile phone or personal electronic device.

Hawaiian fills Aloha void

31 March Hawaiian Airlines is moving rapidly to help ensure the continuation of inter-island air services between Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii’s Big Island, following the collapse of Aloha Airlines.

Tiger calls on ACCC to fight ‘despicable’ behaviour

31 March Tiger Airways has called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate what it believes is “despicable behaviour” by unnamed Australian airlines.

Virgin announces V Australia dates

31 March Virgin group has announced launch dates for its much-anticipated V Australia services to the United States.

Air New Zealand Takes Off from the Gold Coast

28 March Air New Zealand launched its first direct service to New Zealand from the Gold Coast yesterday, with the airline’s Airbus A320-200s beginning flights to Auckland and Wellington.

Air AsiaX expands fleet

28 March Global long-haul airline, AirAsia X, has signed a firm contract for an additional 10 A330-300s, which brings the airline’s total order to 25 of the wide-bodied aircraft.

OzJet cuts NZ plan

28 March Just days after postponing its low fare flights to the NZ centre of Palmerston North, OzJet has advised it will now cancel plans to service the region.

More flights for WA regions

28 March Qantas is preparing to again increase capacity between Perth and the Western Australian regional destinations of Broome, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Newman and Port Hedland to meet demands for more flights.

Heathrow T5 opening nightmare

28 March New services from the United Kingdom are reporting chaos at the opening of London Heathrow Airport's new $9.4 billion Terminal 5.

Air NZ launches green program

28 March Riding on the back of growing environmenatal awareness, Air New Zealand has launched a range of new initiatives, including an environment trust committed to funding research and development into alternative fuels and supporting projects that enhance New Zealand’s clean, green reputation around the world.

Star Alliance moves into new terminals in China

27 March Star Alliance newcomers, Air China and Shanghai Airlines have begun to move into new terminals at Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong Airports.

MAS increases fuel charges

27 March Malaysia Airlines has increased its fuel surcharge on international flights issued after 1 April, to help counter the skyrocketing price of jet fuel.

More air trouble for Qantas

27 March Qantas continues its bad streak of technical problems, with the latest resulting in a failed take-off and blown tyres.

RJ jumps 22 per cent

26 March Royal Jordanian Airlines has continued its streak of growth, with passenger traffic climbing a further 22 per cent in February 2008.

Air Pacific enhances online site

26 March Fiji’s Air Pacific has enhanced its website with the introduction of online schedules, an interactive route map and a new booking system.

More delays for Dreamliner

25 March Boeing has been forced to further delay delivery of its innovative new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

SIA increase fuel charge

25 March Fuel is on its way up again, with Singapore Airlines set to increase its fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after 26 March 2008.

SIA heads to Houston

24 March Singapore Airlines has commenced its latest non-stop flights into the US with the launch of new four-times weekly services to Houston.

Aloha Airlines flies into Chapter 11

21 March Aloha Airlines has filed a petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code, as the airline struggles to compete in the tight operating market.

OzJet delays Sydney

21 March Slow sales have seen OzJet Airlines delay its planned launch of low-cost Sydney-Palmerston services by almost two months.

Emirates plans low fare option

20 March Emirates has announced plans to launch a low-fare airline to complement its award-winning full service offering.

Air Nelson reassures passengers

19 March Air Nelson has moved to reassure passengers that it is putting contingency plans in place to minimise the impact of proposed industrial action by its pilots.

Air NZ ups fares

Air New Zealand’s domestic, Tasman and Pacific Island fares are about to cost more as the airline adjusts fares to counter higher fuel prices.

ATN launches new Tahiti stop overs

18 March Air Tahiti Nui is increasing Tahiti’s appeal with a new range of bargain stopover packages, priced from just A$99 per night at prime Tahitian properties.

A380 fans jump on inaugural flight

14 March It seems some people can’t get enough of the new A380, with fourteen passengers on the inaugural flight to Sydney signing on for the maiden flight to London on 18 March.

Emirates heads to LA

14 March Emirates will expand its US flights to include an ultra-long haul service to Los Angeles from 1 September.

Premium economy wins over business

13 March The opportunity to upgrade to a bigger airline seat, more legroom and better service – without spending a fortune – has seen premium economy cabins on major airlines skyrocket to the top of the popularity stakes.

SIA to fly Tokyo A380s from May

13 March Tokyo has been named as the fourth city in the world to receive A380 commercial flights, when Singapore Airlines starts services to the Japanese capital on 20 May 2008.

Qantas heads to Buenos Aires

12 March Qantas will commence its first ever non-stop services to South America, with flights from Sydney to Buenos Aires commencing on 24 November, 2008, with three return services per week scheduled on the route.

SIA gets third A380

12 March Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its third A380 super-jumbo, with the aircraft arriving in Singapore today.

Last warning for Adam Air

12 March Indonesian low-cost airline, Adam Air, has been given a final chance to clean up its fleet operations or it will be grounded, following another incident that saw one of its Boeing 737s overshoot the runway at Batam Island yesterday.

Continental Airlines ranked No1

12 March For the fifth consecutive year, Fortune magazine has ranked Continental Airlines as the World's Most Admired airline.

Qantas adds more US flights

11 March Qantas is set to add more flights to the US from 27 March, with additional services flying to LA and Honolulu.

Extra class for Emirates

11 March Emirates has added one more main booking class into its reservations system and global distribution systems, with a new P category.

Norfolk gets more Melbourne flights

10 March Norfolk Island’s home-based airline, Norfolk Air, will begin a second direct service from Melbourne from 1 September to target the island’s growing short break and meetings markets.

Qantas premium economy ready to fly

6 March Qantas has taken delivery of its first aircraft fitted with the airline’s new premium economy cabin.

SIA goes all-business to USA

5 March Singapore Airlines will convert its five Airbus A340-500 ultra-long-range aircraft into an all-Business Class configuration, for daily flights between Singapore and New York, and Singapore and Los Angeles.

Emirates expands to Guangzhou

5 March The southern Chinese powerhouse of Guangzhou has been named as Emirates’ newest destination, with services to commence from 1 July.

China Southern adds points partners

4 March China Southern Airlines is expanding its rewards partnership to include four luxury hotel properties/groups.

Emirates to fly A380 to Australia

4 March Emirates has confirmed its giant Airbus A380 fleet will spread their wings to some of the furthest points on the airline’s network, with flights confirmed for New York, London Heathrow, Sydney and Auckland.

Streamlined tickets for bmi

3 March UK carrier bmi has announced an agreement with Qantas to issue interline e-tickets, making it easier for Qantas passengers to connect to the European airline’s destinations.

Premium economy wins business

3 March The opportunity to get a bigger airline seat, better service and more space – without spending a fortune – has seen premium economy cabins on major airlines winning a growing share of the market.

More Emirates for India

27 February Emirates is set to add another Indian destination to its network with the launch of six weekly non-stop services to the southern city of Kozhikode (Calicut), starting 1 July 2008.

New China Airpass

26 February A new Airpass launched by Star Alliance has made discovering China even easier.

V Australia calls out for crews

25 February Virgin Blue’s new long haul airline, V Australia, has kicked off a major recruitment drive for cabin crew and pilots.

Air NZ increases Vancouver services

25 February Air New Zealand is to increase its direct services between Auckland and Vancouver to four a week from early December to meet strong customer demand.

Qantas creates 2000 new jobs

24 February Qantas is planning to increase its long-haul cabin crews with plans to appoint 900 new long haul flight attendants by the end of 2008.

Tahiti adds new Sydney-New York flight

22 February Air Tahiti Nui will introduce a seasonal flight from Sydney to New York, via Tahiti, every Friday from 6 June until 10 October this year.

Shadbolt wins hottest NZ Mayor

21 February It’s official – Invercargill’s Tim Shadbolt is New Zealand’s hottest mayor, according to the thousands of fans who voted for him today on Air New Zealand’s booking engine, http://www.grabaseat.co.nz.

Record half-year profit for Qantas

21 February It seems Qantas was significantly undervalued under its failed sale agreement, with the airline reporting another record profit.

ATR sells more into the Pacific

21 February Aircraft manufacturer, ATR, is enjoying more sales with a deal signed with Air Vanuatu and Air Tahiti announcing its purchase of another ATR 72-500, valued at over US $18 million.

Vote for $1 airline seats

21 February Air New Zealand has launched its latest Grab a seat sale, with $1 seats on sale until 5pm Thursday 21 February, for NZ residents.

Mid air scare for Qantas

20 February Qantas has seen another mid-air drama emerge today with eighteen passengers spending an hour circling Rockhampton airport while the crew struggled to lower the nose-wheel.

Big winner for BA

19 February Mike Currie was a big winner after registering for the recent British Airways online competition.

Hawaiian expands Virgin deal

19 February Where does the time go? It’s already 12 months since Hawaiian Airlines and Virgin Blue commenced their commercial interline partnership in Australia, providing a domestic add-on for inbound and outbound travellers to Hawaii and the United States.

SAS upgrades on long-haul

18 February SAS Scandinavian Airlines has upgraded its premium economy class, Economy Extra, on its long-haul route network.

Qantas unclear on Open Skies

15 February 2008 The new Open Skies announcement has created mixed messages in at Qantas.

More flights into Open Skies

15 February Virgin Blue Airlines has congratulated the Australian and US Governments on their landmark decision to open skies between the two nations, introducing a new era of competition for air services between the United States and Australia.

Flight Centre forecasts new price war

15 February The newly ratified open-skies agreement between Australia and the United States is likely to spark an international airfare price war, according to Australia’s leading travel agency.

Tiger starts Canberra fights

14 February 2008 Tiger Airways has kicked off its daily flights between Melbourne and Canberra with a Valentines Day special.

AirAsia X gets new investors

14 February Long-haul long fare airline, AirAsia X, has taken on a new equity to assist its global expansion.

Cathay flies back to Colombo

13 February Cathay Pacific Airways is to resume its passenger services between Hong Kong and the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, from 30 March 2008.

Tiger sells 100,000 seats at $9.95

12 February The game of tit-for-tat continues with Tiger Airways Australia joining Virgin Blue and Jetstar throwing discounted seats into the Australian travel market, releasing 100,000 fares at $9.95 inclusive of taxes and charges.

Jetstar goes to one cent

12 February Australia’s airfare war continues to drop to unsustainable lows, with Jetstar launching a new one-cent fare.

Air NZ cuts domestic fares

11 February Travel within New Zealand has become even more affordable following the launch of a new domestic pricing policy by Air New Zealand.

On time roll out for V Australia

8 February Australia is set to see a new tail in its skies later this year, with Virgin Blue confirming it is on time and on budget for a fourth quarter launch of its first long-haul international airline – V Australia.

BA adds business only flights

6 February British Airways has announced the launch of new double daily business class-only flights from London City airport to New York in 2009.

Qantas and engineers reach agreement

5 February Qantas has announced that it had reached an ‘in principle’ Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) with the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA).

Virgin goes country

5 February Virgin Blue has continued to speed up its regional expansion with its latest service between Sydney and Albury starting today.

Virgin launches Capital Jet to Canberra

4 February After a two and a half year hiatus, Virgin Blue has relaunched services between Canberra and Sydney under its new ‘Capital Jet’ program.

Emirates upgrades Queensland

4 February Emirates has announced new aircraft and plans to grow its Australian operations, with Queensland central to its expansion plans.

Germany to fly nude airline

1 February Just when you thought Singapore Airlines had topped the sex appeal of flying with its new ultra-luxury double beds in their A380 suites, a German travel agency has outlined its plans for what is likely to be the world's first nude airline.

Emirates goes daily to Houston

31 January Only two months after launching its non-stop service from Dubai to Houston, Emirates is increasing the thrice weekly service to a daily frequency from 1 February, 2008.

SQ spreads A380 wings to London

31 January After three months of bedding down operations with the world’s largest passenger aircraft, Singapore Airlines will expand operations of its Airbus A380 fleet with its planned Sydney-Singapore-London services, commencing from 18 March 2008.

Air Asia gives away 300,000 free seats

31 January Asia-based low fare airline, AirAsia is offering free seats promotion giving away 300,000 free seats across the airline’s network.

Aer Lingus opens new one-stop to Australia

31 January Ireland’s Aer Lingus has expanded its network offering to create a new one-stop fare from Australia to Dublin, via either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Alaska Airlines increases California and Mexico

29 January Alaska Airlines has significantly increased its US West Coast flight schedule, on routes between Seattle and six major destinations in California.

Continental adds more between UK and US

29 January Continental Airlines will increase its services between the US and UK with the introduction of two daily nonstop flights from New York and Houston to London Heathrow Airport.

Canberra daily direct to GC

24 January Gold Coast Airport continues its domestic passenger boom with today’s announcement that Virgin Blue will commence daily direct flights between Canberra and the Gold Coast from 4 March.

Emirates re-signs for symphony

24 January Emirates has reaffirmed its support of the arts with a three-year renewal of its Principal Partnership with Australia’s leading orchestras, taking its sponsorship through to 2010.

Air New Zealand suspends Nadi-LAX

24 January Air New Zealand will suspend flights between Nadi and Los Angeles operated by the airline from 26 April 2008.

Gold Coast named best airport

24 January Gold Coast Airport is on a hat trick after being voted best low cost airport in the Asia Pacific for the second time in as many months.

Newcastle given all clear

22 January Claims by adventurer and aviation enthusiast, Dick Smith, relating to safety considerations at Newcastle airport appear to be unfounded, with a study giving the airport a clean bill of health.

Air NZ expands jet fleet

22 January Air New Zealand is expanding its regional jet services with Invercargill, Hamilton, Dunedin and Palmerston North being considered for Boeing 737 domestic jet services.

Star Alliance goes in circles

22 January Star Alliance has launched a new online calculator that simplifies the planning process and fare calculations for a range of Circle Fares and airline passes.

QantasLink builds WA capacity

18 January QantasLink is increasing its capacity on key routes within Western Australia from 18 February, following an agreement with Alliance Airlines.

China Southern BSP enabled

21 January Australian travel agents accredited by IATA have now been activated to ticket China Southern Airlines (CZ) bookings on the carrier’s paper.

Air NZ launches Whakatane-Wellington service

21 January Air New Zealand is to launch a direct service six days a week between Wellington and the east coast city of Whakatane.

SWISS named Best in Europe

21 January It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Swiss International Air Lines. Less than two years after the airline was struggling to survive, it has again been voted ‘Best Airline for Europe’ by the readers of Germany's reputed Business Traveller magazine.

Open Skies takes off

18 January 2008 British Airways is set to launch its new US-EU subsidiary airline – OpenSkies - with daily flights from New York to Brussels and Paris from June 2008.

Tiger starts Newcastle

17 January Tiger Airways Australia celebrated its Newcastle double daily flights – which commenced today – with the launch of a new round of fares priced from $19.9 each way.

B787 delays hit Jetstar

17 January The three-month delay of the 787 Dreamliner will now see Jetstar’s delivery of the new aircraft until May 2009, according to Qantas chief, Geoff Dixon.

Air Pacific orders more B787

16 January Fiji’s Air Pacific has confirmed it will buy a further three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for delivery in 2016 and 2017.

Qantas adds more to Hawaii

15 January Qantas is set to increase its Honolulu services from three to four per week from 5 April, 2008, to meet growing demand.

Customers riot over strike

15 January Aerolineas Argentinas was left with no doubt as to how their customers felt about the airline’s strike action when international flights were cancelled for a second consecutive day, stranding thousands of passengers.

Virgin Atlantic to fly biofuel in February

15 January Virgin Atlantic has confirmed its ‘green’ credentials today with confirmation it will fly one of its Boeing 747s on biofuel during a demonstration flight in February.

Jetstar Asia goes daily to KL

15 January Jetstar Asia is cleared to commence daily flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, from 1 February 2008.

Tiger opens Hobart flights

15 Januray Tiger Airways commenced flights to Hobart today.

Malaysia Airlines adds Yogyakarta

14 January Malaysia Airlines is expanding its Indonesian footprint with the addition of three weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Yogyakarta

Emirates offers new fares for new year

11 January Emirates is offering Australian passengers an extra incentive to travel in 2008, with special New Year’s airfares to the airline’s European destinations.

Hawaiian announces Manila details

11 January Hawaiian Airlines will commence its inaugural flights between Honolulu and Manila from 14 April, with four flights per week.

SQ increases Sydney to four daily

10 January Singapore Airlines will further expand capacity on the Singapore – Sydney route from April, with the progressive introduction of a fourth daily service, making it the first airline to operate 28 weekly flights on this popular route.

Lion Air confirms Australian launch

10 January Just when you thought Australia’s skies were getting very crowded, Indonesian airline, Lion Air, has confirmed that it will also launch into Australia, with an Australian-based subsidiary flying six Boeing 737-900s.

QF explains mid air scare

9 January Qantas has determined the cause of the 7 January incident when QF2 lost all electrical power while on descent into Bangkok.

Government takes control of SriLankan

9 January The government of SriLanka will take back control of its national airline, from 1 April, following a statement from Emirates saying it will not continue the Management Agreement of SriLankan Airlines.

VAA crew call off industrial action

9 January Virgin Atlantic has avoided strike action with its union (Unite) agreeing to a resolution to the current dispute over cabin crew pay.

Tiger keeps prices low with $9.95 fares

8 January With Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue all increasing fuel surcharges, Tiger Airways has defied the trend, by flying with no fuel surcharges.

QF and JQ increases fuel charges

8 January Jetstar will increase international fuel surcharges on flights booked on or after 17 January 2008 in response to record fuel prices.

Auckland- Beijing direct from July

3 January Air New Zealand will commence a direct service between Auckland and Beijing from 18 July 2008, according to the airline’s chief executive, Rob Fyfe.

Virgin extends seat sale

3 January Virgin Blue has extended its discounted seat sale through until midnight Monday 7 January.

V Australia seeks 10 flight start up

2 January Virgin Blue’s new long-haul international brand, V Australia, has welcomed the commencement of discussions that would free up restrictive trans-Pacific slots and allow the airline to operate daily flights between Australia and the US.

Safety checks ground OzJet

2 January Charter airline, OzJet, has grounded its Boeing 737-200 fleet for safety checks after two mid-air incident which saw the aircraft vibrate dramatically in flight.

SIA advertises all-inclusive

2 January From this month, Singapore Airlines will begin advertising the price of air tickets on an all-inclusive basis, worldwide.

IATA predicts airline slow down

31 December A new financial forecast by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts a global slow down in tourism as the peak business cycle nears an end.

Air France first to offer inflight mobile

27 December To talk, or not to talk? That is the question that will be answered soon, with Air France becoming the first airline in the world to offer an in-flight mobile phone service on international flights.

SriLankan adds on-line check-in

27 December SriLankan Airlines’ passengers no longer need to queue up to check-in at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, with the launch of the airline’s new On-Line Check-In facility.

Virgin Blue increase fuel charge

27 December Virgin Blue is set to increase its fuel surcharge from February 2008 as a result of continued increases in fuel prices.

Qantas increases Hong Kong flights

20 December Qantas has announced today it will increase services between Melbourne and Hong Kong, by three flights per week from 1 April 2008.

LAN goes daily to Chile

20 December LAN Airlines has introduced its long awaited daily flights between Sydney and Santiago, Chile.

LAN adds Business Express

19 December LAN Service Alliance carriers have introduced its new Business Express service to better service the needs of business travellers.

Tiger buys 20 more Airbus A320s

19 December Tiger Airways continues to grow, adding an additional 20 Airbus A320 aircraft, valued at US$1.3 billion, to its fleet.

Qantas profit raises questions

17 December As Qantas forecasts a 40 per cent increase in profit before tax for 2007-08, analysts are wondering how the airline could have gotten its valuation so wrong during last year’s proposed sale.

Jetstar jumps 40 per cent from Avalon

17 december Jetstar will increase its Avalon services by 40 per cent from April 2008, following the commencement of additional daily flights from the Geelong city airport.

Emirates goes daily to South Africa

17 December Trade and tourism ties between UAE and South Africa are expected to strengthen with the announcement that Emirates Airline will launch daily flights to Cape Town from next year.

Air India joins Star Alliance

14 December Star Alliance has welcomed its latest member to its ranks, with Air India accepted into the airline group.

Air NZ auctions 10,000 seats

13 December Air New Zealand has launched a new way to discount seats with an auction that sold 10,0p00 seats in one day.

Etihad earlybirds

13 December Etihad Airways has released a selection of discounted earlybird fares to Europe for 2008, with economy class fares from Sydney to Dublin starting at $1797 and $1817 between Brisbane and Paris.

More Sydney - Taiwan flights

13 december China Airlines has announced additional services between Sydney and Taipei from December in response to an increase in Australians travelling to Taiwan.

AirAsiaX steps up

12 December Low fare international airline, AirAsiaX Australia, is anxiously awaiting delivery of new A330 aircraft to bolster its entry into the Australian market.

Price crash: Australia’s airfare war heats up

11 December Australia’s skies are somewhat more crowded with Tiger Airways launching its low-fare domestic services, filling its aircraft with happy travellers snapping up bargain airfares for as little as $10 per seat.

Etihad increases Dublin flights

11 December Strong demand for flights between Abu Dhabi and Dublin has seen Etihad Airways increase services on the route from 13 December.

Comfort soars to a new level

10 December With Singapore Airlines unveiling its latest premium product, including double beds on its Airbus A380, the battle for supremacy in the sky continues, with Emirates now pumping more than US$600 million into improving its already indulgent aircraft cabins.