An airline servicing regional areas says the Affordable Airfare Program will help drive tourism in regional Western Australia.
The West Australian government is running the scheme for the sixth year in a row.
According to the State Government, the program had huge success last year, selling nearly 29,000 tickets.
Funding goes towards Virgin Australia and Qantas to provide travellers with discounted airfares to regional WA. This year, the program will also now include Airnorth and Nexus airlines.
The four airfare companies will fly between Perth, Broome, Kununurra, and Exmouth for a discounted price.
Network Aviation flight attendant, Elise Smith, age 21, has been flying regionally for the last seven months.
“I do the FIFO charters, so I am up North a lot going to the mine sights,” she says.
In terms of the price of regional flights, Miss Smithh says she finds them affordable.
She says flights vary in price depending on when and where you are travelling.
According to Tourism Western Australia, the program aims to ease the rising fuel costs and the inflation on airfares.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics states the Consumer Price Index rose one per cent this quarter.
The program aims to cap the total airfare amount regional residents pay for flights to and from Perth.
The discounted flight prices are available to anyone.
Former FIFO Mineral Resources’ employee Vaibhav Suhas says, “the flights were pretty decent.”
The 21-year-old flew with Qantas to the regional mining locations where he worked as a student mining engineer.
“The flights were very spacious, and they gave out amenities that you would get on any interstate or international flight,” he says.
Flight prices can vary from $350 to more than $750 when flying with airlines like Virgin to regional locations at regular times.
While the program is running, tourists can fly for as little as $199.
Chief executive officer of QantasLink Rachel Yangoyan says the airline is glad the program has been continued.
“Qantas welcomes the return of the Affordable Airfares Program in 2024 to support tourism across the regions in Western Australia,” he says.
She says the program aims to get visitors to key WA tourism hubs that depend greatly on air access.
“Affordable Airfares Program are a great way to support tourism in these communities and ensure it remains sustainable,” she says.