Air New Zealand has begun hiring new cabin crew - but is not offering jobs to any of the flight attendants made redundant in last year's downturn.

Air NZ has taken an unusual approach as it defends itself from claims an alliance with Virgin will mean an inevitable downgrade of its services.

Ruben van Assouw joins a list of more than a dozen known examples of sole survivors from air disasters.

The Netherlands has gone into mourning over the deaths of at least 61 Dutch citizens among the 104 people on a plane that crashed in Libya.

Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland has reminded the world again that it has the power to disrupt international travel.

The ash cloud from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano is still causing havoc for flights across the Atlantic.

An Air NZ flight attendant has been sacked after mistakenly sending a "highly derogatory and offensive" email about an Air NZ manager to the man himself.

The ex-US Air Force man behind this morning's crisis in the skies above the United States has been described as "never in trouble in his life".

Corporal Apiata, who had been serving with the SAS in Afghanistan, touched down at Auckland International Airport at 5.15am yesterday.

The first flight back from London after disruptions from volcanic ash has landed at Auckland airport.

The quiet of the no-fly zone has been replaced by the roar of airplane engines across Britain today.