Strategic cleared to fly from WA regional towns
Friday, 16 July 2010
from today's E-Travel Blackboard:
The International Air Services Commission (IASC) ruled Strategic Airlines free to fly from Port Hedland and Karratha to Denpasar from August 3.
Strategic Airlines was allocated "unrestricted passenger capacity" and intend to commence flights to Denpasar from Port Hedland in August with flights from Karratha to follow.
The new service will eliminate the need for residents and workers of these regional towns to connect at Perth en-route to Bali, cutting travel time and costs.
"There has been overwhelming demand from people in Port Hedland - particularly from its 'Fly In Fly Out' mining community - for leisure travel to Bali," Startegic Airlines Commercial Head Damien Vasta said.
Permission was granted on the grounds that Strategic Airlines is an established international carrier, already in receipt of capacity allocation from IASC to travel to Indonesia from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
However, Strategic Airlines is not permitted to utilise the capacity on behalf of another Australian carrier.
The IASC noted that due to unlimited capacity available on the route other carriers would not be affected should they seek capacity also.
The Port Hedland-Denpasar service will depart Port Hedland every Tuesday at 2:15pm and arrive in Denpasar at 4:15pm.
The return flight will depart Denpasar at 8:00am each Wednesday, and arrive at Port Hedland at 10:05am.