Gold futures posted the biggest gain in four weeks after Ukraine said rebels shot down a Malaysian jet carrying 295 people near its border with Russia. Palladium extended a rally to a 13-year high.

The wife of a New Zealander who was on board MH370 says she was "absolutely floored" when she heard another Malaysia Airlines flight had ended in tragedy.

The Kremlin said Mr Putin had informed President Obama of the disaster after learning of it just before a scheduled phone call between the two.

Airlines including Deutsche Lufthansa and KLM has said they will avoid flying over eastern Ukraine after the crash of a Malaysian Airlines jet.

Everything you need to know about Malaysian Airlines MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine.

A deleted social media post by a separatist militia leader has led to accusations that pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine are to blame for the Malaysia Airlines crash.

We have live updates from the investigation into the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines MH17.

Soviet-built BUK surface-to-air missile launcher believed to have brought down Air Malaysia flight at 33,000ft.

The deaths of 295 people aboard Flight MH17 is one of the worst post-war civilian airline incidents involving a plane brought down by a missile attack, gunfire or terrorist-related sabotage.

Emirates is about to put its 50th Airbus A380 into service and plans to almost double its fleet of the super jumbo within the next three years.

The arrival of Air NZ's first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner does not herald the start of lower airfares - but travellers will get access to new international destinations.

Boeing predicts demand in Asia will push commercial aircraft sales to $5.2 trillion over the next 20 years.

Seated in the middle of economy with four seats to either side, my view outside the window couldn't be clearer.

Demand for pilots is heating up in the Asia-Pacific region as new aircraft are added to fleets and ageing pilots retire.

Qantas is cutting 167 jobs from its engineering division as part of the embattled airline's ongoing turnaround plan.

A New Zealander stranded in Fiji for two days without any information from her airline was put on to another flight last night, the airline says.

Kiwis flying from New Zealand to the United States will not be required to undergo strict new security measures being introduced for uncharged mobile phones and laptops.

An Air New Zealand safety video featuring Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models is in the process of being withdrawn, the airline says.

"The planes are so noisy they wake us up most nights now." Residents say proposed improvements to a short-cut flight path don't go far enough.

Air New Zealand’s first 787 Dreamliner touches down next week. Grant Bradley reports on the airline’s high hopes for its revolutionary new plane.

Passengers on board an Air New Zealand plane bound for Tonga that hit birds just before take off from Auckland today are full of praise for the pilots and crew on board.

Boeing is close to announcing a new aircraft to succeed the 757 jetliner that ceased production almost a decade ago.

The possibility that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 became a ghost plane has raised new questions in one of aviation's greatest mysteries.

A power outage is causing long delays at Sydney Airport, just as school holidays begin in New South Wales.

An Air New Zealand pilot put the safety of six crew and 128 passengers at risk while landing in foggy conditions, a transport watchdog has confirmed.

A Kiwi woman's lost suitcase went to cities around the world that she did not during a six-day battle with Jetstar to have her luggage returned.

Air NZ says it's business as usual, despite an inquiry into a crash in San Francisco finding the complexity of the Boeing 777 was to blame.

Singapore's Changi Airport will slash fees from next month as airline customers face a tough operating environment and the hub faces increased competition from the Middle East.

Overseas holiday arrivals hit a new high last month, reaching 64,000 - up 12.8 per cent on the same month a year ago.