Skytrans is an Australian owned and operated airline and air charter business based in

Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...

. The airline operates RPT and charter services from Cairns, Horn Island, and Brisbane. After being placed in administration in January 2015, Skytrans returned to the skies on 31 March 2015.

History

Skytrans was founded by David and Sue Barnard in October 1990 as a charter airline, and began scheduled flights in 1993. In November 2000, Skytrans merged with AirSwift Aviation, another small regional airline based in Cairns. In June 2001, Skytrans took over services to Cooktown and Karumba from MacAir Airlines. In January 2005, the airline began to operate in competition with

QantasLink QantasLink is a regional brand of Australian airline Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is a major competitor to Regional Express Airlines and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines. As of September 2010 Qantas ...

on the Cairns to Townsville route, operating from its own terminals in both cities. In December 2006, the airline was acquired from its founders by Australian Aviation Holdings, owner of Queensland Regional Airlines (QRA) and Inland Pacific Air. Skytrans and QRA subsequently merged under the Skytrans Regional brand. Late in 2014, the carrier had sought to reduce costs by cutting its workforce of 200 employees by over half while trimming its fleet of seven Dash 8-100s and three Dash 8-300s. Skytrans suspended operations with effect from 2 January 2015 when placed in voluntary administration. In a statement, Managing Director Simon Wild blamed the worsening Australian dollar currency exchange rate, coupled with a tough operating environment – worsened by the loss of three Queensland regulated regional air routes in late 2014. The end of operations came a day after the carrier marked its 25th anniversary of Queensland services - outback and regional Queensland, the Gulf country, and Cape York services in particular on 2 January 2015. On 31 March 2015, Skytrans returned to the skies under the ownership of Collings Holdings Airlines owned by Peter Collings, who also owns West Wing Aviation, and Rugby League player Johnathan Thurston.

Destinations

Skytrans operates RPT and charter flights throughout the Cape York and Torres Strait regions. Skytrans also provides charter flights out of

Brisbane Airport Brisbane Airport is the primary international airport serving Brisbane and South East Queensland. The airport services 31 airlines flying to 50 domestic and 29 international destinations, in total amounting to more than 22.7 million passeng ...

for

QGC QGC Pty Ltd (previously Queensland Gas Company) is one of the largest of several Australian coalbed methane companies developing methane reserves within the Bowen Basin, Bowen and Surat Basins of Queensland. The company has an estimated value of ...

. Destinations served from Cairns Airport: * Kowanyama *

Pormpuraaw Pormpuraaw (pronounced ''porm-pure-ow'') is a coastal town and a locality in the Aboriginal Shire of Pormpuraaw, Queensland, Australia. Pormpuraaw is an Aboriginal community situated on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula approximately halfway ...

* Townsville * Aurukun * Lockhart River * Horn Island * Proserpine *

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

Destinations served from

Horn Island Airport Horn Island Airport is an airport on Horn Island, Queensland, Horn Island in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. World War II The Civil Constructional Corps and the Department of Main Roads (Queensland), Department of Main Roads began c ...

: *

* Lockhart River * Kubin Village (Moa Island) * Badu Island * Mabuiag Island * Boigu Island * Saibai Island * Murray Island * Darnley Island *

Yam Island Yam Island, called ''Yama'' or ''Iama'' in the Kulkalgau Ya language or Turtle-backed Island in English, is an island of the Bourke Isles group of the Torres Strait Islands, located in the Tancred Passage of the Torres Strait in Queensland, A ...

Coconut Island Coconut Island may refer to: * Coconut Island (Florida) * Coconut Island (Hawaii Island), in Hilo Bay * Coconut Island (Oahu Island), in Kaneohe Bay * Coconut Island (Queensland) * another name for St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh See also * Co ...

* Yorke Island *

Warraber Island Sue Islet (or Sue Island), also known as Warraber, is the middle islet of The Three Sisters, Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. This island is one of the Torres Strait Islands and is within the locality of Warraber Islet in the Torres Str ...

Destinations served from

: *

Chinchilla Chinchillas are either of two species (''Chinchilla chinchilla'' and ''Chinchilla lanigera'') of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha. They are slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mount ...

* Taroom

Fleet

As of June 2018, the Skytrans fleet consisted of four de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 (as of August 2019) and six

Cessna 208 Caravan The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA ...

Sponsorships

Skytrans has delivered multimillion-dollar sponsorships and endorsements to communities in Queensland, donating to more than 250 organisations. Skytrans is a major sponsor of the Cairns Taipans in the National Basketball League and has supported various causes such as AFL Kickstart, Choice Business Australia, The Queensland Cancer Council, and Harold's House.

References

External links

Company website
{{Regional Aviation Association of Australia Airlines established in 1990 Regional Aviation Association of Australia Australian companies established in 1990 Companies based in Queensland