Cheaper regional airfares on the way after extra $20.7 million provided

An extra $20.7 million will be invested in the Regional Airfare Zone Cap Scheme to provide cheaper flights to regional residents in WA. The additional funding has come as part of the 2023-24 State Budget. The scheme started in July 2022 and gives residents discounted one-way flights to and from Perth at $199 or $299, depending on distance. The extra funding is intended to cope with the high demand for it across the State, with more than 66,200 flights recorded in its first six months. However, so far the capped airfares have not been hugely popular in Geraldton. In March, out of the 18 available locations where the flights can be accessed, Geraldton was 11th with 1596 airfares, despite having one of the highest populations on the list. Geraldton was far behind other regions, including Karratha (14,916), Kalgoorlie (8688), Esperance (6538) and even Albany (3827), which is closer to Perth than Geraldton. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the investment continued the support to air services and infrastructure in regional WA. “It includes a continued commitment to the successful Regional Airfare Zone Cap Scheme, which has been enormously popular,” she said. In March, Ms Saffioti attributed Geraldton’s low uptake to the city’s relatively close distance to Perth and people’s continued willingness to drive.