Air services
Western Australia is by far the largest state in Australia. Its capital city is in the south west of the State and the major regional centres are separated from it and each other by vast distances.
Index
- Air services
- Intrastate air services
- Review of air services 2011
- Deregulated air services
- Regulated air services
Air services
Western Australia is by far the largest state in Australia. Its capital city is in the south west of the State and the major regional centres are separated from it and each other by vast distances. All aircraft owners operating commercial passenger services within Western Australia are required to hold a WA Aircraft Licence. Applications can be made by completing and returning the application form (pdf 498kb). The Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne regions, in the north of the State, are affected by tropical weather patterns that cause periodic flooding and isolation of some communities for many weeks each year.The geographical isolation and extreme environmental conditions faced by many Western Australian communities has meant that these communities rely heavily on air transport. Regional towns often depend on access to large regional centres and to Perth for the provision of essential services such as health and education.
Our aim is to develop and maintain safe, efficient, effective and reliable networks of international, interstate and intrastate air services that meet the business, tourism, social and economic needs of passengers and the community.
Intrastate air services
The Department of Transport facilitates the provision of regular public transport (RPT) air services within Western Australia. The Minister for Transport has powers under the Transport Coordination Act 1966 to licence aircraft and place conditions on licences to control where and when airlines may fly within the State. The powers do not apply to interstate or international air services.
Map of airports 2010-11
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Review of air services 2011
Following a state-wide review of air services, more routes have been opened to competition.Since 28 February 2011 the following airlines will be providing services to these regional centres:
| Airnorth | Services Perth, Broome, Karratha, Kununurra and Port Hedland |
| Cobham Aviation | Services Perth and Kambalda |
| Services Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek | |
| Qantas / Qantaslink | Services Perth, Broome, Exmouth, (Learmonth), Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Exmouth, Newman, Paraburdoo and Port Hedland |
| Services Perth, Carnarvon, Kalbarri, Laverton, Leinster, Leonora, Meekatharra, Monkey Mia, Mt Magnet and Wiluna | |
| Services Perth, Albany, Broome, Busselton, Esperance, Exmouth (Learmonth), Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Newman, Paraburdoo and Port Hedland | |
| Virgin Australia | Services Perth, Broome, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Newman and Port Hedland. In addition, provides services to the Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos Island. |
Deregulated air services
Full competition is permitted on deregulated routes. From 28 February 2011, there will be a total of eleven deregulated RPT routes in Western Australia that connect Perth with Broome, Busselton, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, Karratha, Kununurra, Paraburdoo, Port Hedland, Newman and Ravensthorpe.Regulated air services
Competition is limited on regulated routes. Regulated routes are approved by the Minister for Transport and consist of routes where there are insufficient passengers to support more than one airline. Currently, there are three types of regulated air service operating in Western Australia:- Networks where services to a number of airports are limited to one airline without any Government subsidy;
- Protected route where one airline provides a service to and from one airport without any Government subsidy; and
- Subsidised air service where one airline provides a service that is subsidised by the Government.
Networks:
There are two Network arrangements in Western Australia. The licences to operate the Networks were awarded following a competitive tender process. Services commenced on 1 January 2006 and are approved to operate until 27 February 2011. Under the Transport Coordination Regulations 1985, the airlines are required to provide comprehensive statistics to the Department each month so that service levels may be monitored.
- Skippers Aviation operates the Northern Goldfields Network, which includes Laverton, Leinster, Leonora, Meekatharra, Mt Magnet and Wiluna.
- Skywest Airlines operates the Coastal Network, which includes Albany, Carnarvon, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Learmonth (Exmouth) and Monkey Mia (Shark Bay).
Protected route:
There is one protected route between Perth and Derby (Curtin).
- Approval to operate this service goes to the airline that has the contracts to service the major resource companies in the Derby area. Currently, the Strategic Airlines Group operates this service.
Subsidised air service:
The Kimberley subsidised air service operates between Broome, Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek.
- Golden Eagle Airlines was awarded the licence to operate this service through a competitive tender process. The service is subsidised by the WA Government under a shortfall subsidy arrangement until 27 February 2011.
Following a review of regulated air services, on 28 February 2011, a new system of intrastate air services will commence. The system contains a mixture of networks, protected routes and subsidised air services, as well as one route being operated under a limited competition arrangement.
