From Skywest stock exchange announcement.....
12 May 2011
SKYWEST AIRLINES LTD
(“Skywest” or “the Company”)
EXPANSION OF FLEET AIRBUS A320 AND FOKKER 100
Skywest, the Australian and South East Asia regional airline, is pleased to announce certain steps that it has
taken in order to provide for further fleet resources that will support commercial growth. Skywest intends this will
allow for continuing growth in the contracted scheduled charter sector of its business, connected to the delivery
of services to the resources sector.
FLEET
Skywest has acquired an option to lease an Airbus A320-231 which is the “sister ship” to its existing A320-231
(VH-FNP). This option has been obtained from Avation Plc, the lessor of VH-FNP. Skywest is making the
existence of the option known to its contracted scheduled charter clients, which option is valid until 30th June
2011. The proposed sister ship lease will be an operating lease for 4 years, substantially on the same terms as
VH-FNP, with the aircraft anticipated to be available to enter service around August 2011.
Furthermore, Skywest has entered into a Letter of Intent to purchase an additional Fokker 100 jet aircraft
directly. Should Skywest decide, in its sole discretion, to complete the acquisition, the aircraft would also be
available in the fleet around August 2011.
VIRGIN AIRCRAFT
Skywest is enjoying significant strategic growth and the arrangements with Virgin Australia could lead to a
doubling of Skywest’s overall fleet size with the addition of up to 18 additional ATR-72 aircraft. It is expected
that the first Virgin Australia aircraft will be delivered new from the factory to Skywest on 30th June 2011. This
first Virgin Australia-branded ATR-72 is expected to operate commercially by 29th August 2011. Notwithstanding
the growth in the national scope of operations associated with the Virgin Australia wet lease, Skywest also
maintains a core business strategy to expand its operations in respect to contracted scheduled charter and
additional RPT services.
NEW ROUTES
Skywest is proud to announce that in support of the expansion of operations in the Mid-West of Australia, it is
planning to expand operations to offer a weekly service from Geraldton to Denpasar, Bali for leisure and
commercial travelers. Sales of tickets for this route will commence on 22nd May 2011. Tickets may be
purchased on-line at
Western Australia's Leading Regional Airline - Skywest Airlines and through associated sales channels.
Furthermore, Skywest intends to provide connectivity from Geraldton through to the Pilbara and Geraldton to
the East Coast of Australia to Melbourne from July 2011, supporting Western Australia’s bush community.