Skywest keen on Busselton route

Flights between Busselton and the eastern States could be a step closer by Christmas with the council poised to consider a State Government funding request in a special meeting this month.

Busselton’s Regional Airport Advisory Group, including residents, Busselton Aeroclub and business representatives from the shire will meet on Tuesday to discuss possible upgrades to the airport to support the flights as well as noise containing, monitoring and management.

Shire president Ian Stubbs said the group’s position would be considered in a special council meeting which will be held before Christmas.

“Coming out of this is a very clear possibility that we are going down the avenue of upgrading the airport,” he said.

Support from the council would trigger a string of funding requests for the upgrades and Cr Stubbs said the State Government had provided “nothing but positive reports” in discussions which had already taken place with council staff and the council.

Cr Stubbs said the State Government would be approached before the Federal Government who would also be asked to contribute to the cost of an upgrade.

Deputy shire president and Busselton Regional Airport Advisory Group chairman Tom Tuffin, who revealed airline Skywest’s interest in adding Busselton to its Perth to Albany flight services last week, said he was supportive of the extra services.

He said Skywest were keen to see Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport used as a “hub” to link Busselton with the eastern States.

“We’re hoping to go further than that and have an aircraft that flies directly to the east,” he said.

While Cr Tuffin said Skywest’s interest in operating a Fokker 50 aircraft to and from Perth and Albany would not require any airport upgrades, security and runway upgrades would be needed to allow bigger aircraft to travel direct to the eastern States.

The Busselton Regional Airport Advisory Group will meet on Tuesday while a date for council’s special meeting has yet to be set.