September saw 87.3 per cent of Air New Zealand flights arrive within 15 minutes of schedule, well above the global average of 77.7 per cent, placing it behind Hainan Airlines and Trinity Airways (formerly T’way). The carrier operated a total of 13,072 flights during the month.

Flight JQ908 from Brisbane, operated by VH-VGQ (similar aircraft pictured), was reportedly around 15 metres from hitting a van as it landed in Townsville at 2:20pm on 7 October. Australian Aviation understands the van had entered the restricted area near the runway.

RAF Fairford, the United States Air Force’s only European airfield for heavy bombers, was involved in the incident earlier this year on 27 September. The UK government has recently indicated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was allegedly involved in the attempted attack.

Citing high fuel prices due to the Iran conflict, the carrier will temporarily drop its routes to Port Macquarie and Orange from 25 October, leaving their respective Sydney connections served only by QantasLink. According to Rex, it is still “committed to serving regional and remote Australia”.