The US Department of Transportation has fined six international carriers a total of $7.25 million for extreme delays in providing refunds, on top of the more than $600 million they have already refunded to passengers whose flights were cancelled or changed significantly. The DOT says the fines, assessed on 14 November, are part its ongoing effort to ensure that US-based travellers receive refunds owed to them by airlines, adding that during the pandemic it has received "a flood" of complaints about airlines’ failures to provide timely refunds. "When a flight gets cancelled, passengers seeking refunds should be paid back promptly," Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg states. "A flight cancellation is frustrating enough, and you shouldn’t also have to haggle or wait months to get your refund." The DOT has fined US-based Frontier Airlines $2.2 million, related to $222 million in refunds paid; Air India $1.4 million, with $121.5 million in refunds; TAP Portugal $1.1 million, with $126.5 million in refunds; Aeromexico and El Al $900,000 apiece, with $13.6 million and $61.9 million in refunds, respectively; and Colombian carrier Avianca $750,000, on top of $76.8 million in refunds paid. The DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection has so far in 2022 assessed $8.1 million in civil penalties, the most it has ever issued in a single year.

Blue Air confirms that one of its Boeing 737-500s has been seized by the Romanian government's tax agency, while another belonging to Air Lease Corporation is no longer part of the grounded carrier's fleet. The Romanian airline, which ceased operations on 6 September citing "an unforeseen situation" involving the seizure of its accounts by the government, has confirmed that a 737-500 registered as YR-AME and parked at Bacau airport "is subject to a seizure instituted by ANAF". Another 737-500, registered as YR-BMQ and parked at Cluj airport, "is no longer part of the Blue Air fleet, as its grounding constitutes an abuse subject to legal proceedings by the new aircraft operator". Fleets data shows that this aircraft is owned by ALC and was transferred to a new operator – a Romanian start-up called Hello Jets – on 13 October. Local reports suggest that ANAF had also attempted to seize this aircraft. ANAF declines to comment on the matter. Data shows that the aircraft Blue Air says has been seized is owned by SC Blue Air Airlines Management Solutions. The carrier is listed as having a total of four 737-500s and two 737-300s, all of which are in storage. One of the -300s is under operating lease from Pearl Aircraft Corporation.

Air New Zealand expects to operate at pre-Covid levels over the southern hemisphere summer and has bolstered fleet operations and manpower to support the surge in travel demand. The airline is adding two new domestic Airbus A321neos to the fleet, which add a further 50 additional seats per flight and has engaged charter airline Wamos Air to operate daily return Auckland-Perth services. It adds that it is continuing to return to service its Boeing 777s from long-term storage. "Air New Zealand is gearing up its resources to welcome 2.8 million passengers between 15 December 2022 and 31 January 2023, following a surge in demand for what will be the first summer holiday period since Covid restrictions eased," it states. Chief operating officer Alex Marren states: "During the same period last year, the airline carried just 1.1 million passengers, a clear indication that travel is rebounding." "Over recent weeks, we've seen a strong increase in bookings and over the summer, we'll be operating at pre-Covid levels." In the last 10 months, the airline has hired more than 1,950 operational employees, including around 1,200 cabin crew, 250 pilots, 400 airport employees and 30 engineers. By February 2023, the airline will have hired an additional 700 people, it adds. Marren adds: "Over the summer peak, we're also adding a pool of casual employees across our airports to help customers on our busiest days. Where possible, we're offering our part-time employees a full-time role."