Air New Zealand's (ASX:AIZ, NZE:AIR) group capacity rose 3.7% year on year in September, according to a Wednesday filing with the Australian and New Zealand bourses.

Long-haul available seat kilometers (ASKs) rose 1.2%, domestic ASKs were up 0.9%, and short-haul international ASKs increased 10.2% year on year.

Group year-to-date underlying revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) increased by 0.5% compared to the prior year, despite slight declines in RASK for both the long haul and short haul segments.

The airline carried 1.6 million passengers in September, up 4.5% on the year-earlier period, per the filing.

The passenger load factor came in at 84%, just below the 84.1% reported a year earlier.

The company now expects a loss before tax of NZ$30 million to NZ$55 million for the first half of the 2026 financial year, based on an average jet fuel price of $85 per barrel, revising down earlier guidance that expected earnings before tax near NZ$34 million.