Airservices Australia has released its Australian Aviation Network Overview report for February 2026.
Highlights include:
- February 2026 delivered another strong month for Australia's aviation network, supported by Lunar New Year travel, Winter Olympics and a strong Australian dollar. Total passenger flights increased 3.4% year-on-year, with international demand at its highest growth rate in the last 12 months.
- Industry on-time performance continued to improve. Load factors, after peaking last August, are beginning to ease with ongoing fleet renewal. Balanced with industry growth, the commitment to improving aircraft noise outcomes is reflected in measures such as the Brisbane Airport tailwind trial which supported 10% of night-time departures to operate over water in February.
- The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is seeing significant impacts on the aviation sector with airspace closures and network disruptions. This is particularly significant for our network, as around 6% of Australia's international flights rely on connectivity through the region. The long-term economic and geopolitical impacts of the conflict are likely to be significant and the extent of these effects will take some time to emerge.
- Airservices facilitated 69,482 passenger flights in February, an increase of 81 flights per day from this time last year, while Ground Delay Programs (GDP) accounted for 2% of network delays. Severe weather, including tropical lows, thunderstorms and lightning affected multiple airports late in the month, reinforcing the importance of industry collaboration on climate resilience and opportunity for investing in advanced weather forecasting and warning capabilities.
- Industry partners also reviewed A-CDM progress, noting gains at capacity-constrained airports which included increased runway slot availability during peak periods, reduced delays and gate conflictions, and greater operational transparency. We now focus on harnessing insights with partners to improve operational outcomes.
- Air traffic service variations decreased by 95% and Airservices' attributable GDP ground delays fell by 63% compared to the same period last year. Tower service consistency reached a four-year high, with 2.2 hours of service variation. However, rostering, staffing, and recovery constraints led to 15 hours of GDP ground delays in Brisbane attributable to Airservices, and application of traffic management measures in Sydney. We are progressing a set of measures to consistently provide the capacity needed to meet traffic demand. Our focus remains on building workforce capacity and planning to enhance service resilience.
About Airservices
Airservices Australia is a government-owned organisation responsible for safely and efficiently managing air traffic in 11 per cent of the world's airspace, as well as the provision of aviation rescue fire fighting services at Australia's busiest airports. We are regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and work closely with our customers and industry to support the long-term growth of the aviation industry.
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