Create a reference to the default Namespace using the Namespace constructor:
package{ import flash.display.Sprite; public class Main extends Sprite{ public function Main(){ var catalog:XML = <html xmlns:shop="http://www.example.com/furniture" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>Catalog</title> </head> <body> <shop:table shop:id="4875"> <table border="1"> <tr align="center"> <td>Item</td> <td>Price</td> </tr> <tr align="left"> <td><shop:desc>Table</shop:desc></td> <td><shop:price>9.99</shop:price></td> </tr> </table> </shop:table> </body> </html> var shopNS:Namespace = catalog.namespace("shop"); //default xml namespace = shopNS; for each (var table:XML in catalog..table) { trace(table..desc + ": " + table..price); } } } }