The newest kid on Western Australia’s aviation block has been given access to generous government airfare subsidies as the government brings back cheaper flights for tourists wanting to visit the north west.
The state’s affordable airfares program goes into its sixth year of using taxpayers’ dollars to heavily subsidise plane tickets for flights from Perth to major tourism towns like Broome, Kununurra and Exmouth.
WA based regional carrier Nexus Airlines has been given a bite of the subsidised airfare cherry.
In some instances the subsidies can knock between $400 to $500 off a one-way flight.
For the first time the subsidies will be extended to flights between Broome and Kununurra operated by regional airlines Airnorth and fresh entrant in the state’s small aviation sector, Nexus.
Nearly 29,000 tickets were purchased last year for services from Perth to the north west and the state government is hoping for even more with 35,600 capped one-way flights on offer for the upcoming dry season.
This year’s program will cost $3.3 million.
Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the airfares would help drive recovery in the Kimberley after last year’s floods.
“By driving more tourists to the Kimberley and Gascoyne, we aim to boost regional economies, enhance vibrancy in regional communities and enhance the profile of our dynamic regional centres,” he said.
Under the 2024 affordable airfares scheme Virgin Australia will offer 20,316 discounted one-way airfares for $219 between Perth and Broome for flights until November 25 and $259 between Perth and Kununurra until October 6.
Virgin’s website already had the subsidised airfares applied but WAtoday found some airfares up to $750 from Perth to Kununurra.
Qantas will offer 10,480 discounted one-way airfares between $199 and $209 for flights between May 1 and December 31.
Airnorth and Nexus Airlines will share in a pool of 4880 discounted airfares for $199 one-way flights between Broome and Kununurra from May 1 to August 31.
Nexus began operations in the top end in July last year.
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the scheme would potentially save travellers hundreds of dollars while taking people to WA’s incredible north west region and supporting tourism operators up there.
She said the program built on another cost-of-living measure – the regional airfare zone cap scheme – which capped airfares for regional residents flying to and from Perth to between $199 and $299.
“That scheme has been very well-subscribed, with over 200,000 discounted airfares now flown since its inception,” she said.
“With a state as vast as ours, air travel is an important form of transport for tourists as well as regional residents.”
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