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The Western Australian government has opened bookings for subsidised airfares under its revised Regional Airfare Zone Cap (RAZC) scheme.
Extended until 2031 with an extra $122 million government investment, the RAZC scheme will see some “high-demand” fares increase, while “low-demand” fares will remain the same. According to the state government, this will help ensure the scheme’s sustainability into the future.
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“These changes to our landmark Regional Airfare Zone Cap Scheme mean it will continue, and we can provide peace of mind to WA families that affordable airfares are here to stay,” said WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti.
“This scheme has already delivered more than 758,000 capped flights for regional Western Australians since it was introduced in 2022.
“Without it, some regional residents could have been paying more than a thousand dollars to travel to Perth to see loved ones, healthcare professionals or access essential services.
“Changes to the scheme are also driving competition among airlines, with some already setting fares below the maximum caps for certain routes, offering more savings for regional residents.”
The revised scheme will see “high-demand” fares capped at a maximum of $265 one-way for locations less than 1,000km from Perth and $385 for destinations further away, compared to $199 and $299 respectively for “low-demand” fares.
“Regional residents can still access the low demand fares during peak travel periods if they book well in advance of their travel dates,” the government said.
“When booking last-minute, the zone cap fares for high demand flights can be relied upon to deliver year-round airfare certainty and savings when compared to travel on regular retail fares.
“Depending on their location, regional residents booking a zone cap fare on a high demand flight could still expect to save more than $500, when compared to a regular economy fare.”
State Minister for Regional Development, Stephen Dawson, said the Cook government “understands the importance of this initiative to those living in the regions”, and that fares before the scheme could be as high as $1,000 for some Pilbara and Kimberley destinations.
“We want to help people stay connected to family and friends in Perth as well as providing more savings for regional residents,” he said.
“With bookings for the updated scheme now available, regional communities are able to secure affordable flights for their future travel needs.
“Through recognising the unique challenges faced by those living in regional and remote areas, our government is actively working to ensure that our cost-of-living measures such as the Regional Airfare Zone Cap make a difference to those who need it most.”
The RAZC scheme is administered by the WA government in partnership with Airnorth, Nexus, Qantas, Rex, Skippers Aviation and Virgin. The government pays airlines part of the fare difference, though exact amounts are commercial in confidence.
