Jetstar Asia flights between Singapore and Broome to end on July 29 to make way for Qantas airbus
The burgeoning Kimberley tourism industry is set to be collateral damage in Qantas' scrapping of its Singapore-based offshoot Jetstar Asia.
Jetstar Asia flights between Singapore and Broome will end on July 29 as Qantas brings 13 Airbus A320 aircraft jets back to Australia to use on its highly profitable domestic and trans-Tasman operations.
Tourism Council WA chief executive said Evan Hall, said the closure of the twice-weekly Singapore to Broome return service in the middle of the peak season would hit Kimberley providers hard.
'The tour operators now have major holes in their bookings,' Mr Hall said.
He said the flights between Singapore and Broome were no different to other WA services in mostly carrying locals.
But on Wednesday, Premier Roger Cook held out the prospect of the State Government helping revive the dry season Broome to Singapore service, which started last year.
Mr Cook said the State Government would work with Broome Airport and Qantas to 'see how we can restore those direct aviation links'.
It is understood options for the Broome to Singapore are being considered by the aviation division at Tourism WA, which oversees funding for routes and services that can build high-value tourist traffic in the State.
Qantas and Jetstar Australian management have so far rejected taking over the Broome to Singapore flights, which they claimed had been barely half-full since commencing last year.
Unveiling the Jetstar Asia closure on Wednesday morning, Qantas claimed in public statements it only impacted intra-Asia routes operated by the airline.
But Qantas had privately warned State officials that the twice-weekly flights between Broome and Singapore would be caught up in the closure of Jetstar Asia, which is 51 per cent owned by Singapore businessman Dennis Choo.
It also tried to play down the potential impact on the Kimberley industry by reporting that most passengers on the Broome to Singapore flight were from the WA local area.
Mr Hall said the flights between Singapore and Broome were regularly used by WA residents, and they also carried the 'jewel' of international visitors.
Mr Hall said the route was attractive to high-value, respectful Singaporean and European tourists.
'They're the ones that want to do an Aboriginal tourism experience,' he said.
'They will tour the Kimberley and they will buy pearls.'
He said the route needed more than the one full tourism season and a half season provided by Jetstar Asia to develop.
Mr Cook said service was not 'hugely patronised' by international passengers but had provided economic activity to assist the Broome economy.
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