The West, 18 Apr 2011
Skywest Rocked as Chief Resigns
GEOFFREY THOMAS, AVIATION EDITOR
Skywest Airlines, WA's leading fly in, fly out operator, has been rocked by the sudden departure of managing director Hugh Davin.
Skywest chairman Jeff Chatfield told staff Mr Davin's departure on Friday was "a great loss".
Speculation is rife among Skywest pilots that Mr 3 Davin is to head up a Qantas push into the FIFO 'A market, while others suggest he was targeted by the 11 resources industry to negotiate with airlines.
Qantas recently bought Perth-based Network Aviation and announced plans to expand the fleet from two 100-seat Fokker 100 jets to 12.
Mr Davin said he had not decided on his future. Mr Davin worked with Skywest for 23 years before moving to National Jet Systems in the early
1990s, expanding its fleet from two jets to more than 18.
Skywest lured Mr Davin back in 2007 with a brief to dispose of one of its three FlOO jets because of a downturn in business. Instead, Mr Davin rejuvenated the management and quickly won FIFO business,
adding 10 aircraft in the past four years. Three more will arrive this year.
He also won a contract to operate up to 20 regional aircraft for Virgin Blue with the first four to arrive this year.
Mr Davin told staff he had achieved what he had set out to accomplish and it was time to allow others to take the business forward to its next phase.
Chief executive Mark Shelton will take over the key task of managing Skywest's airline operator's certificate.
Analysts suggest significant changes for airlines at Perth Airport lie ahead. It is understood Sydney's Regional Express is looking to buy airlines in WA and Alliance Airlines, a FIFO operator at Perth, is attracting interest from bigger airlines.
Hugh to run Q400s, F100s and 717s, anyone?
Nice pic of cat in paper too:
