Skywest continues expansion into fly-in fly-out mining centres

In brief: Western Australia regional airline Skywest is continuing its expansion into the lucrative fly-in fly-out mining contract market, having acquired another 100-seat Fokker 100 jet.

Skywest already has ten of the small jets in its fleet, but the addition of another will mean more mainline-style services for business travellers heading to the larger resources sector towns, currently served by smaller and noisier turboprop planes. 

The Perth-based airline -- which will be operating 18 brand new regional short-distance turboprop aircraft for Virgin Australia later this year -- is locked in a battle with Qantas' QantasLink subsidiary for the resources sector.

Jeff Chatfield, Skywest's CEO, is certainly spruiking his airline's fortunes: "Skywest is enjoying significant strategic growth within the resources sector and an additional Fokker 100 aircraft underlines our commitment to the delivery of services to the fly in fly out market."

Skywest will also be boosting capacity when it takes delivery of a second Airbus A320 aircraft later this year, as Australian Business Traveller reported last month.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.