Regional passenger movements in WA grew at an average 13.3% per annum from 2005-2010, according to a Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics report.

In 2010 alone, movements in the state increased 18%, prompting Airservices Australia chief executive officer Greg Russell said late last year that Perth Airport was being “stretched to breaking point”

Northwest towns dominated a list of top five regional airports by passenger movements, headed by Karratha with 24% of all regional movements followed by Broome (17%), Port Hedland (13%), Kalgoorlie (10%) and Newman (8%).

Skywest Airlines led the pack of carriers with 30 routes and 14 airports serviced, followed by Qantas (20 routes, 7 airports) and Skippers Aviation (10 routes, 6 airports).

Last year Skywest said FIFO activity through Perth airport had skyrocketed 47% over the past three years, from 1.5 million in 2007-08 to 2.2 million in 2010-11, with further growth expected as major resource companies brought their expansion projects online.

Regional passenger movement growth in Queensland showed a small decline, from 7% per annum in 2000-2005 to 5.6% per annum in 2005-2010 but the state still accounted for some 40% of all regional movements in Australia.

BITRE said the Northern Territory had not only reversed a negative growth rate in the 2000-2005 period “but also grew at an impressive average annual growth rate [from 2005-2010] of 6.2%”

This story first appeared on ILN's sister publication MiningNews.net.