The Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act

Reporting against the Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act 2002

The following report is provided pursuant to section 19 of the Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act 2002 (the Act)..

Operation and administration of the Act in 2015-16

Adelaide - Port Augusta was the only route subject to a Route Service Licence during the 2015/16 Financial Year. This route remains marginally viable and is licensed in accordance with section 5(3) of the Act “...to encourage an operator or operators of air services to establish, maintain, re-establish, increase or improve scheduled air services on the route.”

The current licence holder, Sharp Aviation Pty Ltd, trading as Sharp Airlines, operated in accordance with its licence conditions throughout this reporting period.

Under Condition 3 of the existing Route Service Licence, Sharp Airlines advised the Minister’s Authorised Officer of an intended change to its schedule of flights from 1 February 2016. The Minister was satisfied that the proposed schedule reduction was based on reduced patronage on the Adelaide to Port Augusta route.

The existing licence expires on 31 December 2016.