Latest news with #NexusAirlines
West Australian
6 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Nexus Airlines moves to suspend Kimberley flight route from September 2025
In another blow to air services in the Kimberley, Nexus Airlines has moved to shut down its flights between Broome, Kununurra and Darwin by the end of August. The final flight from Broome to Darwin via Kununurra will depart on the morning of September 1, with Nexus Airlines to give out full refunds to all passengers booked to travel after that flight. Nexus Airlines managing director Michael McConachy cited increased competition from Airnorth, a Northern Territory‑based regional carrier owned by Bristow Helicopters Australia and a subsidiary of the US‑based Bristow Group, for the closure of the route. 'The additional capacity they introduced, and aggressive pricing have made it financially unsustainable to continue on this route and, despite Nexus taking a significant share of the market, ultimately they have deeper pockets and were prepared to continue to fly with unused capacity,' he said. 'It's a difficult business decision, especially as someone who is deeply passionate about tourism and regional growth in the Kimberley, but I remain hopeful we'll return to this route in the near future.' Mr McConachy said it was a 'disappointing' decision to make. 'I'm proud of what we've achieved. Nexus Airlines was created to improve air connectivity across regional WA,' he said. 'Having now lived in the Kimberley for nearly two decades, I witnessed firsthand how poor reliability and high fares contributed to market failure on this route, which was a key motivation in bringing Nexus Airlines to the Kimberley.' Other Nexus routes including between Perth and Geraldton, and between Geraldton, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome continue to perform well and will remain unaffected by this network change, according to Nexus. Mr McConachy backed recent calls from the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley for the State Government to regulate the sector in the region. 'Regulation through a competitive tender process, where one airline is granted exclusive access to a route, can be a vital tool in protecting essential air services,' he said. 'In regions where passenger volumes are too low to support multiple operators, this approach helps ensure communities continue to benefit from dependable, affordable air travel. It's about safeguarding access to tourism, education, health care and local business. 'My hope is that the Kimberley route will be fully regulated. This would allow fares, frequency and service levels to be set and monitored by the State Government, delivering the best outcome for the towns and regions along the route.' It comes after Qantas decided to shutter Jetstar Asia in June — taking Broome's short-lived Singapore flight connection with it, which was the first international flight route for Broome International Airport in years. With the route lasting less than a year before being axed, Broome International Airport chief executive Craig Shaw described the move as 'disappointing' and a blow to the region's aspirations of boosting international tourism and business at the time.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Nexus halts regional flights between Broome, Kununurra and Darwin
An airline linking Western Australia's Kimberley region with Darwin has announced it will halt flights on the route at the end of August. Nexus Airlines is one of two operators flying between the WA towns of Broome and Kununurra, and the Northern Territory capital of Darwin. Its presence in recent years, alongside competitor Airnorth, has helped drive competitive rates for customers, but there are fears that Nexus's back-step from the route will see prices jump. In the remote East Kimberley town of Kununurra — which is closer to Darwin than Broome — regular and affordable flights are a necessity for many residents, businesses and services. But connectivity has historically been a challenge. Nexus managing director Michael McConachy said low passenger numbers were behind the decision to suspend operations between Darwin, Kununurra and Broome, which were not profitable. Mr McConachy acknowledged competition from Airnorth had been commercially challenging. "The additional capacity they introduced and aggressive pricing have made it financially unsustainable to continue on this route and, despite Nexus taking a significant share of the market — ultimately they have deeper pockets." Airnorth and Nexus have been in a price war since the latter entered the market in mid-2023. Having a duopoly resulted in lower prices for residents and visitors, with Airnorth's Kimberley fares dropping significantly, by over a third in many instances. Mr MConachy said having two airlines operating on the route had also increased the overall number of passengers and services, especially during the traditionally quieter wet season. "The capacity has gone up by, in some instances, over about 300 per cent on the route," he said. "Whilst we've seen a definite increase in the number of passengers flying on that route, that's more in the order of sort of 30 to 40 per cent. The airline's announcement has triggered concerns prices for travellers may increase. Mr McConachy said he would like to see the route regulated. On regulated routes, the government steps in to ensure availability and affordability of flights to and from regional locations where demand is marginal. "That's really just to protect those that are flying on the service."
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Locals urged to get involved in new tourism campaign encouraging visitors to ‘stay and play' in Geraldton
What is the perfect way to illustrate why visitors should 'stay and play' in Geraldton? That's the question Visit Geraldton is posing as part of its latest tourism marketing campaign, encouraging people to stay a little bit longer and explore the impressive hospitality scene. The Stay and Play campaign aims to attract travellers from the North West for a long weekend in Geraldton via Nexus Airlines, as well as urging locals to share what they love best about the region through a photo competition. City of Greater Geraldton mayor Jerry Clune said Geraldton was the perfect hub for families and couples wanting to visit and experience the Mid West. 'Whether it's our world-class foreshore, stunning coastline or inviting weather — Geraldton is not only the perfect place for families but also for couples wanting to experience our incredible food scene, culture and so much more,' he said. 'Our campaign will focus on distributing high-impact destination marketing content across multiple channels and collaborating closely with our partners at Australia's Coral Coast and Nexus Airlines. 'We are also urging Geraldtonians to get involved by entering the Stay and Play Photography Competition, which invites people to submit the perfect shot that illustrates why families should come and experience our amazing city.' Submissions to the photography competition will be selected to be used as destination marketing content. The prizes up for grabs include a $1500 Nexus Airlines voucher for first place, a $1000 Buy Local Greater Geraldton gift card for second and $500 Buy Local gift card for third. The Stay and Play Photography Competition is open until 4pm on Monday, June 30. To enter and for terms and conditions, head to the city's website.
