Air services in Western Australia
Aviation services are important for WA’s social and economic wellbeing. Our objective is to ensure the community has regular intrastate air services that are safe, affordable, efficient and effective.
Air Services overview and maps
Aviation in Western Australia is essential to the economies of regional communities and for the social and health needs of regional people, who are dependent on sustainable, affordable, safe and reliable air services. Air services are often the most efficient mode of transport for WA’s dispersed communities and are also critical for mining and business operations across the State as well as bringing visitors to the regions, growing tourism markets.
The State Government considers various levels of regulation on air routes while taking into account the unique circumstances of each route, particularly the needs of community and industry. In fulfilling its role as a regulator, the State scales its response between the following regulatory options for Regular Public Transport (RPT) routes:
- Fully regulated routes are those routes where demand for RPT air services is marginal and there is a significant risk in communities not having access to an adequate level of RPT services. Fully regulated routes are established by awarding exclusive monopoly rights to one airline through a competitive tender process.
- Lightly regulated routes are those routes that receive an adequate level of RPT air services in a monopoly or duopoly airline market, but where there is community concern about the affordability and reliability of air services. These routes are lightly regulated by conditions placed on the aircraft licences, such as community engagement and provision of data.
Note: The RPT air service maps represent pre-COVID-19 pandemic air routes and are subject to change during the COVID-19 crisis.
Regional RPT airports map | Kb | |
Fully regulated RPT air routes map | Kb | |
Fully and lightly regulated RPT air routes map | Kb | |
Lightly regulated RPT air routes map | Kb | |
Aircraft licensing
Governance of intrastate air routes
The Minister for Transport has powers under the Transport Coordination Act 1966 to license aircraft and place conditions on aircraft licenses to control where and when airlines may fly within the State. Any condition placed on an aircraft licence may refer to the provision of RPT services, charter services, or both where applicable.
The aircraft licences may be issued for up to 12 months to airlines operating within the State for commercial purposes (hire or reward), other than for medical emergency purposes. The purpose of the Act and Regulations is to ensure that Western Australians are provided, as far as is practicable, with reliable, efficient and economic transport services.
Aircraft licensing requirements
All aircraft owners operating commercial passenger services within Western Australia are required to hold a WA Aircraft Licence unless exempted under the Transport Coordination (Part III Exemptions) Order 2020. The Exemption Order was initially gazetted by the State Government on 15 July 2016 but was later revised. The most recent version of the Exemption Order was gazetted on 22 December 2020.
An aircraft is exempt from Part III of the Act if -
(a) it is being operated to carry people or goods on a flight that starts and finishes at the same airport and does not land at any other airport; or
(b) it is a helicopter being operated to carry people to or from their workplace and the people themselves do not pay for the flight; or
(c) it is being operated solely for any of these purposes -
(i) aerial mustering;
(ii) aerial spraying;
(iii) crop dusting;
(iv) spreading fertiliser or seed;
(v) spreading baits to control animals;
(vi) aerial photography or surveying;
(vii) spotting whales or fish;
(viii) providing medical services;
or
(d) it is an unmanned aircraft; or
(e) it is being operated on a flight to or from an airport not listed. Refer to Transport Co-ordination Act (Part III Exemptions) Order 2020 (below) for the list of airports.
View the Transport Coordination Act (Part III Exemptions) Order 2020 (below) for more information.
How to apply for an Aircraft Licence?
Aircraft licence applications can be made by completing the application form downloadable below and returning it to the Department of Transport (DoT). Aircraft licences are issued by DoT free of charge.
Under the Transport Coordination Act 1966, aircraft licences for fully regulated air routes may be issued from 1 to 5 years at the discretion of DoT.
For more information on aircraft licences, airlines can contact Air Services. Please refer to contact details in the table below.
Service Type | Suburb | Business Name | Phone number | Phone number (secondary) | Fax | Pre-booking required | Business Hours | Street address | Postal address | Business Type | Vehicle type | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aviation contact | Air Services (Aviation) | (08) 6551 6197 | (08) 6551 6001 | No | Monday to Friday 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. (excludes public holidays) | aviation@transport.wa.gov.au | P.O. Box C102, Perth WA 6839 | Department of Transport | Air Services in Western Australia, including regulation of RPT air services, closed charter operations, and aircraft licences | ||||
Aviation contact | Aviation Infrastructure (Aviation) | (08) 6551 6196 | (08) 6551 6001 | No | Monday to Friday 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. (excludes public holidays) | rads@transport.wa.gov.au | P.O. Box C102, Perth WA 6839 | Department of Transport | Aviation Infrastructure in Western Australia, including the Regional Airports Development Scheme (RADS) |
Transport Co-ordination Act (Part III Exemptions) Order 2020 | Kb | |
Application for an Aircraft Licence | Kb | |
Engaging regional WA
The Department of Transport (DoT) facilitates various consultation activities on a regular basis in order to be better informed and engaged with stakeholders and communities related to Regular Public Transport (RPT) air services for regional Western Australia.
Consultation on fully regulated air routes
The fully regulated RPT air routes are operated under Deeds of Agreement between the airline and the State Government, under which DoT chairs two Aviation Community Consultation Group (CCG) meetings per year for routes to Albany, Esperance, Carnarvon, Monkey Mia, Laverton, Leonora, Mount Magnet, Meekatharra and Wiluna. During the CCGs key stakeholders meet with DoT and the operating airline to discuss airline and route performance, initiatives and partnership opportunities.
These discussions are vital in ensuring the air route’s long-term viability and to foster potential route growth. DoT engages with the airlines regularly in relation to any issues that may occur on the air routes.
Consultation on lightly regulated air routes
Since 1 July 2019, airlines operating RPT services on lightly regulated routes in WA have had a condition on their aircraft licence, requiring them to regularly engage with the regional communities they service, as well as providing data to the State Government.
These licence conditions were placed as part of the implementation of the Parliamentary Inquiry into regional airfares. In late 2021 - early 2022, DoT facilitated Regional Aviation Consultation Group (RACG) meetings in 10 regional towns associated with the lightly regulated routes including, Broome, Exmouth, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Newman, Onslow, Paraburdoo/Tom Price and Port Hedland.
The RACG meetings are held annually to provide a forum for ongoing and direct collaboration between the State, airlines, local governments, private airport operators, tourism bodies, the resources sector, and other key stakeholders. The RACG meetings aim to identify opportunities for improving access to affordable airfares, air service recovery and route development opportunities.
Intrastate air services
The State Government encourages and supports the development of direct air services between regional towns, Perth, other Australian capital cities and international destinations, particularly where there are opportunities to stimulate inbound interstate and international tourism.
The State Government's policy objectives for intrastate Regular Public Transport (RPT) air routes in WA are to:
- ensure an adequate level of RPT air services on regional routes in WA;
- enable the availably of affordable airfares on regional air routes in WA;
- enable adequate frequency of air services;
- improve the liveability of regional towns;
- foster economic, social and tourism development throughout WA; and
- support the wider State economy, particularly the resources and tourism sectors.
Fully regulated RPT air routes
Air routes in WA which have insufficient passenger demand to support airline competition are regulated by the State Government by granting monopoly rights to a single airline to operate on a particular Regular Public Transport (RPT) route. Currently, the following air routes in WA that receive RPT air services are fully regulated.
Fully regulated air routes | Airline |
---|---|
Broome - Fitzroy Crossing - Halls Creek (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Skippers Aviation |
Broome - Derby and vice versa | Aviair |
Geraldton - Karratha – Port Hedland - Broome (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Nexus |
Kununurra - Halls Creek - Balgo (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Aviair |
Newman - Port Hedland and vice versa | Aviair |
Perth - Albany and vice versa | Rex Airlines |
Perth - Esperance and vice versa | Rex Airlines |
Perth - Laverton – Leonora (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Skippers Aviation |
Perth - Monkey Mia - Carnarvon (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Rex Airlines |
Perth - Mt Magnet - Meekatharra – Wiluna (or in similar configuration) and vice versa | Skippers Aviation |
- Aviair operates the Kununurra - Halls Creek - Balgo subsidised air services until 31 December 2023. Aviair also operates a subsidised services on the Broome-Derby route under a Deed of Agreement until 30 June 2024
- Rex Airlines operates under an agreement with the State Government on the Albany, Esperance, Carnarvon and Monkey Mia air routes until 1 October 2023.
- Skippers Aviation operates under an agreement with the State Government on the Mount Magnet – Meekatharra - Wiluna and Laverton - Leonora air routes until 1 October 2023. Collectively known as the Northern Goldfields routes.
DoT regularly monitors performance on these routes.
Note: The RPT air service maps represent pre-COVID-19 pandemic air routes and are subject to change during the COVID-19 crisis.
Lightly regulated RPT air routes
Under the licensing conditions, airlines operating Regular Public Transport (RPT) air services on the lightly regulated routes are required to:
- report route data to DoT; and
- engage with regional stakeholders and communities on a route-by-route basis.
DoT actively monitors the performance on the lightly regulated routes. Entry into the market by other airlines on the lightly regulated routes is not restricted.
The following RPT routes are lightly regulated by the State Government:
Lightly regulated air routes | Airline |
---|---|
Broome - Kununurra and vice versa | Airnorth and Nexus |
Kununurra - Kalumburu and vice versa | Aviair |
Perth - Broome and vice versa | Qantas and Virgin |
Perth - Exmouth (Learmonth) and vice versa | Qantas |
Perth - Geraldton and vice versa | Nexus and Qantas |
Perth - Kalgoorlie and vice versa | Alliance, Qantas and Virgin |
Perth - Karratha and vice versa | Qantas and Virgin |
Perth - Kununurra and vice versa | Virgin and Airnorth-seasonal |
Perth - Newman and vice versa | Qantas and Virgin |
Perth - Onslow and vice versa | Virgin |
Perth - Paraburdoo and vice versa | Qantas |
Perth - Port Hedland and vice versa | Qantas and Virgin |
Lightly regulated RPT air routes map | Kb | |
Fully and lightly regulated RPT air routes map | Kb | |
Closed charter air services
The State Government's long-standing objective has been to ensure the viability of Regular Public Transport (RPT) services for regional communities, while also seeking to meet the needs of the resources companies and minimise any cost on the resources and charter industries. Closed charter air services are not available to the general public. An example would be the transport of fly-in–fly-out (FIFO) staff for a resource company who has contracted a charter operator for their sole use.
In the context of seeking to balance both the needs of the resource industry and regional communities, the objectives of the Charter Policy are to:
- ensure charters do not detract from the viability of RPT services on marginal RPT air routes;
- reduce the impact of charters on existing RPT air services, in terms of airfare affordability and service frequency; and
- adopt a transparent approach to charters on a route-by-route basis.
For more details on charter air operations in WA please refer to the Charter Policy below
To apply for a closed charter service on RPT routes complete the application form below and submit the application to DoT via aviation@transport.wa.gov.au
Charter operators should note that:
- Assessment of charter applications may take 4-6 weeks.
- Charter services should not commence before the application has been assessed and approval received by way of an amended WA aircraft licence.
- Special conditions may be placed on the licence of charter operators in line with the Charter Policy.
- An application for a closed charter service operating on an RPT air route may be given a temporary approval (e.g. 3 months) while further assessment is undertaken to determine any potential impact on the RPT air service.
Review of regulated air routes in WA 2013-15
The existing 2015 State Aviation Strategy outlines the State’s framework for policy setting and future planning and investment in Western Australian international and domestic air services and airport infrastructure. A copy of the report can be downloaded below.
Review of Regulated Regular Public Transport Air Routes in WA: Final report (2015) | Kb | |
Review of Regulated Regular Public Transport Air Routes in WA (Position paper) (2014) | Kb | |
Unmanned aircraft (drones)
If you have any enquiries about drones please contact CASA or visit their website below regarding Part 101 CASR - Unmanned aircraft and rockets.
CASA: Part 101 of CASR Unmanned aircraft and rockets | ||
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Air routes in WA: Media
Air services: Documents
Note: The RPT air service maps represent pre-COVID-19 pandemic air routes and are subject to change during the COVID-19 crisis.