"The West Australian - Saturday 9 March 2002". .. ."Virgin eyes WA for expansion. . . .VIRGIN Blue's aggressive expansion plans include more flights to WA and links with regional carrier Skywest Airlines. The low-fare airline was boosted yesterday when the Federal Government backed its. .plans.. .. .Virgin Blue commercial director David Huttner said he would talk to the State Government on March 20 when he attends the Tourism Council Western Australia's WA Airline Services seminar in Perth.. .. ."I will be talking to the State Government about. .route possibilities within WA - we are interested. .in Karratha, Broome and Kalgoorlie" Mr Huttner said. "In fact, flying Perth to Kalgoorlie actually works better for us than Sydney-Perth.". .. .The airline has 16 Boeing 737s of various. .models and took delivery of another 737-800. .this week. Nine more are due by the end of the year. Virgin Blue will hire an extra 1000 staff,. .most probably from Ansett, by the end of the. .year.. .. .Executives are working on new routes, with. .Sydney-Perth a possibility, although extra. .Melbourne-Perth and Adelaide-Perth flights are. .more pressing. The airline also is expected to. .add another 10 Boeing 160-seat 737s next year. .to take the airline's fleet to 35 jets.. .. .Mr Huttner said he would meet Skywest about. .working together in WA. Skywest was linked to. .Tesna and Ansett and is seeking a new partner. .for feeder passengers.. .. .Qantas yesterday denied claims it was increasing fares to take advantage of Ansett's demise.. .. .A survey by Web-based consumer service organisation Infochoice found the discount fares on Sydney-Perth and Brisbane-Perth routes had jumped 20 per cent in recent days.". .. ....so there you go. It was in the paper so it must be happening.....right??