http://www.couriermail.com.au/busine...-1227583211260
"SKYTRANS regional airline has gained some altitude under new ownership, snagging a $25 million contact with Queensland Gas Company.
Investor and ambassador NRL player Johnathan Thurston surprised passengers with an impromptu appearance on the morning flight from Brisbane to Chinchilla on Monday to kick off the deal, after signing on as a part owner in March this year.
As a passionate campaigner for indigenous communities, Thurston said he was attracted to Skytrans’s focus on connecting regional communities and boosting economies in the far north.
“Skytrans asked me to get involved with my background working with indigenous communities and the efforts we can make connecting the Cape,” Thurston said.
“They also do a lot of work employing and sponsoring a lot of community projects ... I thought it was a great idea.”
The original Skytrans business went bust in January in the wake of a decision made by the former Queensland government led by Campbell Newman to award New South Wales based Regional Express government subsidies routes in Queensland.
Since its downfall, it relaunched under new ownership by Peter Colling’s Collings Holdings Airlines and has resumed operations from their headquarters in Cairns servicing areas like Cape York and Torres Strait.
Under the new deal with QGC staff and contractors will be ferried on 18 flights per week to and from its sites in Chinchilla and Taroom starting Monday, October 26.
Skytrans CEO Michael Thinee said the group had been able to re-employed 90 of their former staff as they look to expand their footprint further into Queensland.
“We have grown our workforce by 100% in just five months,” Thinee said.
The company now provide 56 flights per week to nine townships throughout the Cape and Torres Strait.
Their maintenance centre has also just been awarded a $5 million contract to overhaul three Dash-8 Aircraft from the United States."
Well done to Pete.. so far so good!
