Competition set to return to the Kimberley
 

Skywest jet to serve NW towns

By Geoffrey Thomas



AIRLINE competition is set to return to the North-West with Skywest to announce three times weekly Perth-Broome flights with its 97-seat Fokker 100 jet.

It is just the start of a big ramp-up of competition, with Kununurra and Exmouth also on the radar of Skywest and Qantas.

Skywest chief executive Scott Henderson said yesterday he expected the airline to fly to Broome on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from early October.

The airline had operated a Perth-Broome service with a 46-seat Fokker 50 turbo-prop after the collapse of Ansett but discontinued the service as it could not compete with Qantas jet operations.

Skywest's announcement, to be made on Thursday, is expected to upset interline partner Qantas.

In February, the two airlines concluded an agreement for through booking of passengers and use of frequent flyer points.

Skywest wants to expand use of its F100 jet, which is used three times a week on the Argyle fly/in/fly out contract but cannot afford to ruffle its alliance partner.

Kununurra is also coming in for attention, with senior Qantas executives spotted last week in the town.

Observers suggest that Qantas will extend some of its Perth-Broome flights to Kununurra next year.

Mr Henderson said he would meet officials from Kununurra and Exmouth in the next few weeks over a jet service linking Perth, Exmouth, Broome and Kununurra.

Virgin Blue was planning Kalgoorlie, Broome and Bali flights using Boeing 737-800s this month, but a combination of crew rostering problems and the summer season has delayed those plans until early next year. Initially, Skywest will charge the same fares as Qantas but Mr Henderson said it would offer more of the lower-priced fares.

Observers suggest that to attract passengers away from Qantas' mainly Boeing 737 operation, Skywest will have to offer lower fares.

Skywest is hoping that by entering the market now it may make it less attractive for Virgin Blue to fly the route.



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according to this, an announcement expected Thursday re XR's long awaited expansion of use for it's new F100...

They might pinch a few passengers from AirNorth but the Exmouth to Broome leg will send em broke in no time :uhoh:

Ain't competition great:*

Don't bet on it, DJ will blow Skywest out of the market if they choose to enter it.

DJ737
The Roo Rooter:E

agreed, no money to be made out of exmouth, but the perth-broome direct route can certainly support 2 jet operators, probably not 3 though, and dj should be flying this one soon.

On the other hand, Townsville supports dj, qf and alliance, all be it a much bigger market.

apparently airnorth aren't happy about qf's plans to extend ph-bme out to knx, a market they have all to themselves at present.

interesting times, and will be interesting to see how it plays out...

Another "great" idea like Exmouth/Karratha was. Give em 2 nah 3 months tops till they pull the service. :}

Loads out of Kununurra just won't support a 92 seat aircraft. It's why Ansett pulled out the 146 and Airlink gave it a shot and bailed.

It's exactly why Airnorth has it to themselves, it's like operating an F28 Tindal, Tennant, Alice.

K

then why are qf seriously considering running a 146 out there in the next dry? maybe just a couple of times a week...

Do you think there will be any 146's on the Aussie register next Dry?

Kanga767....What Rumours have "you" heard ?? The way you phrased the word "Aussie"has me intrigued......

kanga,
 

Are you sure Airlink tried Kununurra?

When? :confused:

Nobody wants to see Skywest get beaten with the sticks of the big boys, but isn't it a bit rich that they are operating monopolies on Esperance, Albany and Geraldton, won't let any competition onto Leonora (at least Gallop won't), and yet are competing in the market on the only "profitable" jet routes in WA?

CC, Rapunzel was asked about red tails going to Kununnurra some time back: answer: "Where's that?".

LOL Bloggs. :D Where would we be without nicks, huh? :}

Still, being asked is not the same as trying and bailing. :\

Airlink did some Broome/Darwin but I can,t recall any Kununurra Jets to Broome except by AN.

Exmouth to the North could not support a 404 not enough tourist accommodation or population base, loved to see it but it won't work.

No rumours on the 146, I'm asking the question.


Airlink operated 146 for a short while into KNX, (I'll have to check that for sure) They defintely operated a Dash 8 on KNX -DRW, then withdrew it.

K

I think the year was 96 or 97 when NJS had 'Blue Tail' Dash 8's plying the DN-KU-BRM route. Remember the Pilot uniform was moleskins with a orange shirt and an Akubra.

I think it was one of these aircraft that had the incident/s in BRM.

You are right Hoss boy, it was in 96 that NJS had a bird strike on a Dash 8, where the bird did some large damage to the leading edge of the wing. Engine shut down and the gear had to be manually set to lock position.
No dramas it was a simple return to base and land.

NJS also operated a Jestream 41 on that route as well. Plus the J41 did mining contract work to the desert in NT.

What joy in the wet season !

Airlink, (now QFLink) never operated a 146 knx-drw, an was the only jet operator bme-knx-drw, a service eventually replaced by TL with the bras. airlink did operate bme-drw with the 146...

The BRM-DRW flight was always quite full, albeit only once a week, there is no reason they could'nt incorporate KNX into that as well, and increase the frequency somewhat.

Kanga, I'll bet my house there will be plenty of 146s on the Oz register for a few wets to come. ( no pun intended )