WHEN Skywest puts the brakes on its Laverton services early next month, Skippers Aviation will be ready to take off with direct services to the town.
WHEN Skywest puts the brakes on its Laverton services early next month, Skippers Aviation will be ready to take off with direct services to the town.
Meanwhile Skywest will focus on a route to Shark Bay which has previously proved unprofitable.
Skippers beat two competitors to gain sole operator rights for the Perth to Laverton route for two years, after Skywest announced its Laverton services were no longer viable.
In doing so, Skippers won the first regional regular passenger transport licence to be offered by the current State Government through an expression of interest process.
Skippers Aviation chief executive officer Rob Swann said the company could viably fly 19-seater craft to Laverton three times each week and was already experienced in the regular passenger market, operating regular services to Meekatharra, Wiluna, Broome, Derby and Dili.
Mr Swann said Skippers could also meet possible increased demand for Laverton with a range of aircraft sizes.
The company, which also runs charter flights for two Laverton-region mining operations, has agreed to restrict fare increases in line with the consumer price index.
Skywest, which operated Laverton flights with services to Leonora and Leinster will end its Laverton link on July 4 but will continue its services to Leonora and Leinster.
Skippers’ new direct Perth-Laverton flights will cut travel time by two hours, to just 90 minutes, a major bonus for the community, Shire of Laverton chief executive officer Murray Brown said.
Skywest chief executive officer Scott Henderson said the company had decided against the Laverton link because of the very low demand — averaging just nine passengers per day.
The problem for Skywest appeared to be aircraft size and associated costs.
Skywest is keen to retain another regional route it currently services — to Shark Bay — even though that route has now been opened up for expressions of interest. The company had the sole operator contract but this was not renewed with the company’s licence renewal, Mr Henderson said.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said Skywest had considered withdrawing from the Shark Bay route, and the Shark Bay Shire had acknowledged the low flight occupancy rates could not be sustained.
However, research had indicated a Geraldton-Kalbarri-Shark Bay route could be a good combination.
Mr Henderson said Skywest did not have time in the current tender process to form an alliance for a service.
Skywest has been given a boost with Federal Transport Minister John Anderson announcing the Ansett levy will be lifted on July 1.
