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Karratha Airport in WA’s Pilbara region is angling for international flights, with an application submitted to the Federal Government last month.
The airport, more than 1,500km north of Perth, is seeking to become the only regional gateway in Western Australia to host international routes to destinations such as Singapore and Bali, with previous services to Broome and Port Hedland having been axed.
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“Securing international status remains an important step for our community’s development and growth, while also supporting workforce attraction and retention for industry,” said City of Karratha mayor, Daniel Scott.
“The application is a significant undertaking, but one that has the potential to strengthen connectivity, support local jobs and open new opportunities for our residents and businesses.”
Though Port Hedland – two and a half hours away by road – is rated for international flights, its Denpasar service was scuppered by the pandemic, while Broome further to the northeast lost a Jetstar Asia route to Singapore when the airline closed earlier this year.
The application will take up to 18 months to be reviewed, with a Department of Infrastructure spokesperson saying the Commonwealth is “pursuing increased opportunities” for international aviation following last year’s White Paper.
“The application is being considered by the department in consultation with a number of government agencies responsible for aviation safety, security, air navigation and the provision of border and biosecurity services,” the spokesperson told the ABC.
“The department has not received any applications at this time for international airline services to operate to Karratha.”
The push by Karratha for international services comes as the WA Regional Airfare Zone Cap (RAZC) scheme is set to be extended, though with some caps to increase.
The state will invest an extra $122 million into the subsidies to extend them to June 2031; however, under the revised plan to take effect from 1 July next year, passengers will pay more for “high-demand” flights such as those booked on school or public holidays, or at the last minute.
While “low-demand” prices will stay capped at $199 one-way for destinations within 1,000km of Perth and $299 for destinations further away, “high-demand” tickets will be capped at $265 or $385, respectively. It follows uncertainty about the scheme’s future earlier this year.
