Strategic Airlines has confirmed that it plans to start services on the Perth-Denpasar route from mid year, as well as lead a push into the lucrative resource charter market, with the arrival of its Perth based A320 in early February.
The A320 is configured in a 180-seat, all economy layout and will initially be used on the Perth-Derby (Curtin) route, replacing a Fokker 100 wet leased from Alliance Airlines. The airline is also planning to add another A320 to its Perth base, and has noted that it is currently in talks with the travel industry to commence services to Denpasar from June, and was also keen to tap in on the potentially lucrative charter market.
“We are pursuing charter contracts within the mining sector and believe there is huge opportunity for the type of services we can offer – not only in mining, but in the broader corporate and consumer WA sectors that will reap the flow-on effects of mining growth,” said Damien Vasta, head of commercial for Strategic Airlines.
Vasta added that with the increase in mining activity within WA that there has been an increase in enquiries for the A320 to operate into mining airfields. As such, the company intends to apply to CASA to operate the aircraft into Code 3C airfields, which it says would allow it to serve a number of fly-in/fly-out markets.
The company also said that it is considering introducing services from the East Coast to key mining centres in northwest WA to meet the needs to resource companies.
