Air services in Western Australia

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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:

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.

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.

Note: The RPT air service maps represent pre-COVID-19 pandemic air routes and are subject to change during the COVID-19 crisis.