Kununurra gets ready for return of jet services
Plans for aviation
About 90 people turned out at the Kununurra Airport on Friday night to hear about the future of the airport and airlines.
It was the second Kununurra Chamber of Commerce and Industry 'Business After Hours' function.
The first was at the Sugar Mill.
Most of the major players were represented including the airlines.
Chamber president Frank Rodriguez opened proceedings with some facts and figures about the airport, which is wholly owned by the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley.
He said 150 hire cars were available from the airport and it was home to 60 aircraft, including helicopters.
It was the third busiest airport in WA, outside of Perth, with 1170 flights annually carrying 36,000 people.
This figure was down though on its busiest period when Argyle Diamond Mine staff lived in Kununurra and Ansett was flying in.
At that time the figure was 50,000 passengers a year.
Frank said the figure was building up again and a major marketing and promotion campaign by the chamber, financed by the area's business people, the Shire and airlines would greatly assist in increasing numbers.
Shire chief executive officer Chris Adams described the Shire's plans for the airport, including the resurfacing of the runway and better lighting for the apron area, which passengers cross on their way to the terminal.
Chris said the runway might have to be extended to cater for bigger planes in the future.
In the shorter term there would be a security upgrade to cater for the new QANTAS service and this would be completed by May 1.
Airnorth sales and marketing manager Andrew Dubyna told those present how pleased his company was to be an Ord Valley Muster sponsor and how pleased Airnorth was that QANTAS was coming into the area with a weekly jet service.
Muster manager Leanne O'Shea took the opportunity of promoting Muster hats, T-shirts and stubby coolers.
She said the 'networking' she had been doing lately had paid off with the fax machine running hot with people wanting to book tickets for the Muster and the Kimberley Moon Experience.
QANTAS WA regional manager Adrian Boys congratulated the Chamber on how active it had been in promoting the East Kimberley.
He explained the viability of reinstating regular jet services to Kununurra and didn't miss the opportunity to get in a plug for the cheap airfares available on the QANTAS jets used to ferry school children from Perth to Kununurra and return in April.
The price - $286 (only available from travel agents).
Adrian said the flight for the Kimberley Moon Experience was 63 percent booked.
However, the new weekly Perth Kununurra service was only 28 percent booked at this stage.
He said QANTAS and Airnorth had to work 'hand in glove' to be successful in the region and increasing tourism was the answer to getting more jet services.
Broome could not take any more airline services because it did not have enough accommodation to cater for any more tourists and Kununurra could do the same.
The Pilbara Tourism Association and its Kimberley counterpart have been amalgamated to form 'Australia's North West' and the new chief executive officer Grant Smart addressed those assembled.
He detailed the new campaign being conducted on television, radio, newspapers and on buses and in bus shelters in Perth, to attract more visitors to Kununurra.
It is believed to be the biggest promotion of Kununurra ever undertaken.
Its theme is "Go Wild Kununurra'.