Australia's Skywest mulls international expansion

[Pieter C. 5]

Perth-based Skywest Airlines is moving to acquire up to four A320 family aircraft to satisfy an upswing in demand for resource industry charters and to launch new international routes to Southeast Asia destinations. The airline deferred its announced plans to acquire the aircraft when the economic downturn struck last year, but yesterday MD Hugh Davin said it has "dusted off plans" to order up the aircraft, a new type for the regional. While he was coy on details of the international expansion, insiders told ATW that planning is underway for a range of options including services to Bali, Singapore and Phuket.

 

Last month Skywest, which is the country's largest operator of fly-in/fly-out charters serving the resource industry, said it would add a ninth 100-seat F100 for delivery in November to meet demand. In the past three years its fleet of F100s has tripled and the fleet of 46-seat F50s has increased from five to seven. The industry expects that the first aircraft could be put into service as early as the first quarter. "We are now out seeking suitable aircraft," Davin said.

[Tony 1]

I wonder if there are pots of gold in HKT and DPS. Pretty fierce competition lately with VA, DJ/PB, and now Skywest launching flights from AU to those destinations.