The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced results for November showing a 4.6% drop in international passenger traffic and a 13.5% drop in international cargo. International capacity dropped by 1.0%. The November international passenger load factors stood at 72.7% which is a decline of approximately 3 percentage points over the same month last year.

Auckland International Airport Limited (Auckland Airport) is considering following up the bond issue that closed in November 2008 by making a new public offer of $50 million of bonds.

Embraer and British Airways signed a contract for 11 E-Jets, comprised of six Embraer 170 and five Embraer 190SR jets, to be operated by BA CityFlyer. BA CityFlyer is British Airways’ wholly owned regional subsidiary that operates international and domestic routes from London City Airport, England. The deal, which heralds a significant modernization of its regional fleet, also includes options for another three EMBRAER 190SR jets. The contract value of the E-Jets firm orders is US$ 376.5 million, at list price, based on January 2008 economic conditions, and could reach US$ 489 million, if all options are confirmed.

Auckland Airport is launching a new Park & Ride service that offers long-term, low-cost parking for all domestic and international travellers.

Australian airline SkyAirWorld, has won a Solomon Islands Government tender to redevelop Anuha Island, as part of plan to attract more international tourists. The airline signed a leasing agreement until year 2070 with the Solomon’s government, earlier this week.

Sydney Airport has welcomed Delta’s announcement that it will start flying from Sydney to Atlanta (via Los Angeles) from July 2009.

Sydney Airport has asked passengers to allow extra time to get to the airport and catch their flights over the Christmas holiday period.

Aeropelican announced today that the NSW Ministry of Transport has approved an application made for the license to operate the Narrabri – Sydney route, subject to CASA regulatory approval.

Brisbane-based airline SkyAirWorld has taken delivery of its second Embraer E-190 (registration VH-SXO) passenger jet.

The New Zealand Commerce Commission is today initiating proceedings in the High Court in Auckland against 13 airlines and seven airline staff, including senior executives, for extensive and long-term cartel activity in the air cargo market.

Launceston Airport will today welcome the arrival of Virgin Blue’s inaugural flight between Brisbane and Launceston which is set to touch down at Launceston Airport at 3.30pm this afternoon.  The airline will operate a daily direct service between Launceston and Brisbane, using one of its brand new, executive style EMBRAER E-Jets.

CASA says flights at Newcastle Airport over the holiday season will operate safely. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority says it has developed an effective and appropriate set of procedures to provide safe operations while normal weekday air traffic control facilities are not available.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced its forecast for 2009 showing an industry loss of US$2.5 billion. All regions, except the US, are expected to report larger losses in 2009 than in 2008.

IATA predicts Asia-Pacific carriers will see losses more than double from the US$500 million in 2008 to US$1.1 billion in 2009.

Qantas pilots warned today that British Airways should not be allowed to gain control of a merged Qantas if our traditionally high professional standards are to be maintained and called for the Government to maintain the protections of the Qantas Sale Act.

Auckland Airport has restructured and changed its leadership team to lead the next stage in the growth of New Zealand’s gateway.

The release of the Federal Government’s Aviation Green Paper is an important step in stabilising the Australian aviation industry, which has been stifled by a lack of debate and long term planning.

Welcoming the green paper, Australian and International Pilots Association President, Captain Barry Jackson, said the industry was too focused on cutting costs and maximising profits at a time when the safety regulator was becoming increasingly close to the industry.

Auckland Airport reports International passenger volumes in October were flat compared to the same month last year. However, these figures were slightly improved by the impact of school holidays falling mostly in October this year, compared to last year where half of the school holidays fell in September.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced international air traffic for October showing a second consecutive month of global decline. International passenger traffic declined by 1.3% compared to the same month in the previous year—a smaller decline than the 2.9% drop experienced in September.

Dili-based Timor Air and Brisbane-based Australian airline SkyAirWorld today announced that they had entered into a historic agreement heralding the creation of Timor Air as the new national carrier for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (East Timor).

Embraer will hold its tenth Australian Operators Conference for the EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft, November 23 and 24, in Darwin.

Melbourne Airport's strong passenger performance for the calendar year to date is being assisted by some of the best value travel deals seen for some time, coupled with more airline seats providing more options for travellers.

Boeing has completed destructive testing on a full-scale composite wing box of the 787 Dreamliner, the first all-composite wing box ever built for a Boeing commercial airplane. This test is part of the certification process for the all-new jetliner.

Boeing has announced an adjusted schedule for production and delivery of the 747-8 Freighter and Intercontinental airplanes. The revised schedule is based on a production and flight-test plan developed in conjunction with the company's suppliers that provides additional time for addressing issues that have slowed the program's progress.

The long-haul low-cost international carrier AirAsia X commenced services today with their inaugural flights to and from Melbourne. The long-haul budget carrier will fly direct between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur four times per week.

Air New Zealand's first sustainable biofuels flight from Auckland using a Boeing 747-400 jetliner will take place on December 3rd. Conducted in partnership with Rolls-Royce and UOP, a Honeywell company, one of the airplane's four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines will be powered in part using advanced generation biofuels derived from jatropha. Air New Zealand now becomes the first airline to use a commercially viable biofuel sourced using sustainability best practices.

Uzbekistan Airways have finalized an order for four Boeing 767-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes. The order is valued at $US597 million at list prices. Including today's announcement, Uzbekistan Airways has now ordered six Boeing jetliners (two previously ordered 787-8s and the four 767-300ERs).

In a huge vote of confidence in the midst of the global financial crisis, the Auckland Airport offer of $130 million of retail bonds is now completely subscribed.

Air China Cargo will add three 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) to its cargo fleet. The modification work on the three Combi airplanes will take place at Taikoo Aircraft Engineering (TAECO) in Xiamen, China. They previously were operated by Air China.

Melbourne Airport welcomes the new customs processing technology SmartGate – giving eligible Australian and New Zealand travellers arriving into Australia the option to self-process through passport control.

Striking Boeing machinists in Washington, Oregon and Kansas voted to ratify a new four-year contract that includes excellent wages and an industry-leading pension. About 27,000 employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) will begin returning to work on 2nd November 2008, ending a 58-day walkout.

Australian pilots need to be taught critical thinking skills according to CASA. From the middle of next year pilots in training will be tested on their knowledge of human factors and threat and error management.

Boeing is forecasting a market for 3,710 new airplanes worth about $390 billion over the next 20 years. The figures are contained in its 2008 Current Market Outlook (CMO) for the China region released today.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has today instituted separate proceedings in the Federal Court, Sydney, against Qantas Airways Limited and British Airways PLC seeking penalties for alleged price fixing between 2002 and early 2006.

Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers reached tentative agreement on a new four-year contract covering 27,000 employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas. Union leadership is recommending that employees vote to ratify the contract.

The impact of the financial crisis on the world economic outlook affected international passenger volumes at Auckland Airport in September with a 5.9% decrease over the same month last year, although international passenger volumes are up 1.0% on a 12 month rolling basis.

Airline passengers are being warned to keep their seatbelts fastened and pay attention to safety briefings.

The warning comes following an incident on a Qantas flight earlier this month more than 70 passengers were injured – some seriously – following a sudden loss of altitude.

The Boeing Company board of directors today accepted with regret the resignation of Edward M. Liddy, who last month was named chairman and chief executive officer of American International Group (AIG).

Sydney Airport has congratulated Qantas on its first commercial A380 flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. The historic flight departed from Sydney Airport this afternoon.

Boeing's third-quarter net income declined 38 percent, to $695 million, while earnings per share declined 33 percent to $0.96 per share, both reflecting an ongoing machinists' strike and supplier production challenges on customer-furnished galleys for certain wide-body airplanes.

Auckland Airport today announced that its public offer of $80 million of retail bonds for cash has already been fully subscribed, less than a week after opening.

The first quarter of the 2008/2009 financial year has seen passenger numbers at Launceston Airport grow at a promising rate. Overall passenger numbers were up 7%, bringing the total number of passengers through Launceston’s terminal to 255,000 – 17,000 more compared to the same period last year.

Auckland Airport’s chairman Tony Frankham and Maori King Te Arikinui  Kiingi Tuheitia took part in a dawn unveiling and blessing of a tomokanga (carved gateway) in the new pier at the airport’s international terminal.

People who purchased an adventure or joy flight with Brisbane-based company Hempels Aviation are being asked to contact the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Jetstar will fly direct from the Gold Coast to Cairns, commencing 3 February 2009 and a daily service from tthe  Gold Coas to Auckland, commencing 28 April 2009 .Jetstar's Gold Coast to Auckland services will compete with Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue on this popular route.

Boeing announced today that Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co., Ltd. (Boeing Shanghai) has received its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Repair Station Certification. The certification allows Boeing Shanghai to conduct operations in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations Part 145. Boeing Shanghai initially is conducting heavy maintenance on Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplanes.

Defying the global financial crisis Auckland International Airport Limited’s retail bond issue programme opened today, offering investors an opportunity to invest in an iconic kiwi long-term infrastructure business: Auckland Airport.

Boeing and it's workers have failed to make an agrement after talks, Boeing announced today.

Jetstar is launching new trans-Tasman services out of Auckland. Jetstar will operate daily return services between Auckland and Sydney and between Auckland and Gold Coast starting 28 April 2009, subject to regulatory approval.

Construction will commence this week on Sydney Airport's larger runway safety area at the western end of the east-west runway. The construction program was approved by the Australian Government in August.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation in tot eh accident is progressing. Mr Julian Walsh, Director, Aviation Safety Investigation of the ATSB said the aircraft's Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Quick Access Recorder arrived in Canberra late on Wednesday evening.