Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is an Australian regional airline based in Perth, servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia. The airline also flies interstate to destinations such as Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne and Alice Springs. Formerly known as Skywest, in April 2013 the airline was purchased by Virgin Australia Holdings as its new regional offshoot.[1] On 21 April 2020, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines' parent company, Virgin Australia Holdings went into voluntary administration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

This article is about the former Skywest Airlines. For the similarly-named airline in North America, see SkyWest Airlines.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
VA VOZ VELOCITY
Founded1963 as Carnarvon Air Taxis
HubsPerth Airport
Frequent-flyer programVelocity
Fleet size14
Destinations10
Parent companyVirgin Australia Holdings
HeadquartersPerth, Australia
Key peopleNathan Miller, Executive General Manager
Websitewww.virginaustralia.com

History
Two Skywest British Aerospace Jetstream 31s at Perth Airport in the mid-1990s
A Virgin Australia Boeing 737-700 operated for Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
Skywest Airbus A320 at Perth Airport in August 2011

Early years

Virgin Australia Regional was formed in 1963 as Carnarvon Air Taxis flying charter flights with small general aviation aircraft out of Carnarvon, Western Australia. In 1979 it changed its name to Skywest Aviation and moved to Perth's Jandakot Airport. In 1980 Skywest Airlines was formed (ICAO code OZW), based at Perth Airport, and acquired Stillwell Airlines and its routes; the combined fleet included 39 aircraft, making it the second largest commuter airline in Australia at the time. The Skywest Airlines fleet included a mix of general aviation types and small airliners including GAF N-24 Nomads, Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirantes, Beechcraft King Air 200s and Fairchild SA-227 Metro IIIs, as well as smaller types such as Cessna 182 Skylanes and Piper Aztecs.

In 1982, the controlling companies merged Skywest Airlines with Transwest Airlines. At the time Skywest operated 16 aircraft and TransWest 25.

Then in 1983, it was proposed to merge Skywest with East-West Airlines, both were owned by the Devereaux group. The merger did not eventuate, but east–west operated flights in Western Australia on Skywest's behalf. In 1987 Skywest lost the Government Coastwatch contract, which severely weakened the business. The company was bought out by the Perron group and then on-sold shortly thereafter to TNT/News Limited and began operating under the Ansett banner. The east–west aircraft were divested for operations in Queensland and were later absorbed into Ansett. At this time, Skywest was operating most of its services with five BAe Jetstream 31s.

In 1998, Ansett introduced Fokker 50s into Skywest service.

Development since the 2000s

The airline continued to be owned by Ansett Australia, and operated flights on behalf of Ansett until the parent's demise in 2002. Skywest was then successfully purchased by private investors. In 2004 it was the subject of a hostile, but ultimately successful, takeover attempt by Singapore-based investment company CaptiveVision Capital. This takeover succeeded in gaining a majority stake. On 8 February 2007, news broke that the airline may be the target of a tie-up with Singapore-based Tiger Airways,[3] although no business arrangements were ever concluded. Between 2004 and 2012 Skywest Airlines was entirely owned by CaptiveVision Capital which in turn was a subsidiary of ASX and London Stock Exchange AIM market-quoted Skywest Airlines.[4]

Since 2004 under Skywest Airlines ownership, the fleet expanded from seven aircraft to 18 aircraft. Skywest's first Airbus A320 was registered in April 2010. It was delivered Perth on 23 October 2010 and operated charter services between Perth and Cloudbreak for Fortescue Metals Group.[5] Skywest announced that it had optioned a second A320 on 12 May 2011.[6]

On 10 January 2011, it was announced that Virgin Australia had established a 10-year alliance under which Skywest would operate up to 18 turboprops in the bigger carrier's colours. The alliance with the Perth-based airline was part of new push by Virgin Australia into regional Australia. The agreement saw the airlines codeshare on some of each other's flights. Virgin Australia and Skywest customers also could earn and redeem frequent flyer points on each other's networks. The aircraft were leased from Avation plc (LSE: AVAP) with the first four arriving in 2011.

In April 2012, Virgin Australia Holdings purchased 10% of Skywest Airlines,[7][8] followed by a full takeover bid on 30 October 2012. It had received in principle support from the Board but the takeover would require shareholder and regulatory approval.[9][10] On 11 April 2013, Virgin Australia Holdings completed its 100% acquisition of Skywest Airlines.[11] From 7 May 2013, the use of the Skywest brand was discontinued and the airline became part of the Virgin Australia brand, however it continues to operate under its current Air Operator's Certificate and its own management team.[12]

2022 Fleet changes and transition to Parent

In April 2022, Virgin Australia announced its plans to phase out the Fokker 100 aircraft, and replace it with 10 year old Boeing 737-700s leased from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. These will be operated by Virgin Australia's AOC for Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, leaving the Airbus A320 fleet solely operated by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines. The Group currently operates 10 x F100 aircraft across its operations in Western Australia, with the F100 fleet to be gradually transitioned out and replaced by 737-700s from first quarter 2023.[13]

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is expected to merge into the Parent company, Virgin Australia, from 2024.

Destinations
Main article: List of Virgin Australia destinations

Scheduled flights

As of July 2018, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines operated scheduled flights to the following destinations:[14]

Terminated destinations

Since Virgin Australia's take over, two original WA Coastal Network (Skywest) destinations have been cancelled (Exmouth & Busselton) with Albany, Esperance and Ravensthorpe also ending on 27 February 2016.[18]

Contract flights

In addition to scheduled flights, Virgin Australia Regional has contracts with various mining companies to service the burgeoning Western Australian mining industry; via regular fly-in fly-out air charter flights to remote minesites.[19] These contracts include flights between:

  • Perth and West Angelas mine for Rio Tinto
  • Perth and Barimunya, also known as Yandi for BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto
  • Perth and Coondewanna, also known as Area C, the sister site to Barimunya for BHP Billiton
  • Perth and Boolgeeda, also known as Brockman for Rio Tinto
  • Busselton and West Angelas for Rio Tinto
  • Busselton and Barimunya for Rio Tinto
  • Albany and Barimunya for Rio Tinto
  • Geraldton and Paraburdoo via Boolgeeda
  • Perth and Argyle
  • Perth and Windarling on behalf of Portman Iron Ore
  • Perth and The Granites minesite in the Tanami Desert on behalf of Newmont Tanami
  • Perth and Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine with First Quantum Minerals.
  • Various ports in the East Coast of Australia under contract to Virgin Australia commencing 2011.

Skywest previously held a contract to fly staff to Telfer, however in December 2010 this contract was terminated in favour of a contract with Alliance Airlines.
On 27 April 2012, Skywest finished flying to Fortescue Dave Forrest Airport (Cloudbreak Airport) for Fortescue Metals group, after losing the contract to Qantas' fly-in-fly-out-charter subsidiary Network Aviation.

International charters

Commencing in 2004, Island Bound Holidays chartered a Skywest Fokker 100 to undertake flights to Bali from Port Hedland.[20] In 2010 Skywest commenced operation of scheduled services to Bali from Port Hedland. Skywest also offered flights from Geraldton to Bali in 2011.

Fleet
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Airbus A320-200
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Fokker 100

As of March 2023, the Virgin Australia Regional fleet consists of the following aircraft:[21]

Virgin Australia Regional fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A320-200
7
—
162
Fokker 100
7
—
100
Total 14 —

The fleet is used significantly in the Australian state of Western Australia, including a number of charter services which support the growing regional centres. Flights to other destinations such as Adelaide, Darwin and Alice Springs also take place. All aircraft are fitted in an all-economy seat layout. Virgin Australia Regional's Airbus A320-200 fleet can often be seen operating flights to and from Melbourne, although the majority of their flights are supporting the growing Fokker 100 network in Western Australia and neighbouring states. Since March 2022, all of the A320s that are currently in the fleet were from the now defunct Tigerair Australia, which was a fully owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia Holdings.

Loyalty Program

In November 2007, Skywest joined Virgin Blue's loyalty program Velocity Rewards (now called Velocity). Velocity Points can be earned on all Virgin Australia Regional flights, excluding charter flights. Points awarded vary from 0.5 per mile to one per mile, depending on fare class.[22]

Accidents & incidents
  • On 13 May 1980, a Skywest Swearingen Metro II experienced a failure of its right engine at low altitude whilst approaching Esperance Airport during a scheduled passenger flight, forcing the pilot to execute an emergency landing in a nearby field. The single crewmember and all eleven passengers on board evacuated the aircraft before it was destroyed in a fire.[23]

References
  1. "Virgin Australia completes the Acquisition of Skywest". Virgin Australia Airlines. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. "Virgin Australia enters voluntary administration". Virgin Australia Newsroom. 21 April 2020. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  3. Jetstar grows to tackle a Tiger Archived 30 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Australian 8 February 2007
  4. Tiger to take on Jetstar Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine The Sydney Morning Herald 8 February 2007
  5. Creedy, Steve (29 October 2010). "Airbus gives Skywest room to grow: Civil Aviation Safety Authority proving flights". The Australian. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  6. "FE Investegate |Skywest Airlines Ltd Announcements | Skywest Airlines Ltd: Expansion of Fleet Airbus A320 and Fokker 100". Investegate.co.uk. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  7. "Virgin Australia Invests in Skywest Airlines to Drive Growth in Regional Operations". Virgin Australia+date=10 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  8. Virgin Australia to invest in Skywest Archived 4 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine London Stock Exchange 10 April 2012
  9. "Virgin does deals with Singapore, Tiger, Skywest". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 October 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  10. Offer for company Archived 2 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Skywest Airlines 30 October 2012
  11. Virgin Australia Completes the Acquisition of Skywest Archived 14 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine Virgin Australia 11 April 2013
  12. "Virgin Australia completes Skywest Airlines acquisition". Proactive Investors Australia. 11 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  13. "Fleet growth positions Virgin Australia for higher capacity, lower emissions". Virgin Australia Newsroom. 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  14. "Virgin Australia's Regional Network". Virgin Australia. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  15. "Perth Airport - Passengers | Which terminal". Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  16. "Jacobs hits out at Virgin Australia's looming withdrawal from Perth-Esperance flights - ABC (None) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  17. "Virgin cancels Perth to Geraldton flights". 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  18. "Concern for regional WA air services as Virgin pulls out of Albany, Esperance routes". ABC News. 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  19. Curran, Andrew (2 May 2022). "Virgin Australia To Take Four Boeing 737 MAX 8s From February 2023". Simple Flying. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  20. "Island Bound Holidays". Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  21. "Virgin Australia Regional Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. 9 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  22. "Virgin Blue Media Release". Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2008.
  23. "1980 Sykwest accident at the Aviation Safety Network". Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2011.

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