East Kimberley Regional Airport

East Kimberley Regional Airport
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Shire of Wyndham East-Kimberley
Serves Kununurra
Location Kununurra, Western Australia
Elevation AMSL 145 ft / 44 m
Coordinates 15°46′41″S 128°42′27″E / 15.77806°S 128.70750°E / -15.77806; 128.70750Coordinates: 15°46′41″S 128°42′27″E / 15.77806°S 128.70750°E / -15.77806; 128.70750
Website http://www.swek.wa.gov.au/community/airports
Map
YPKU
Location in Western Australia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 1,829 6,001 Asphalt
Statistics (2010/11[1])
Passengers 86,955
Aircraft movements 2,779
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[2]
Passenger and aircraft movements from the BITRE[3]

Officially known and signposted as East Kimberley Regional Airport (IATA: KNX, ICAO: YPKU), it is more commonly referred to locally as Kununurra Airport an airport in Kununurra, Western Australia. The airport is 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west of the town.[2] Heavy wet seasons often result in this area being cut off from essential outside services and deliveries. The airport is a crucial piece of infrastructure which enables people and goods to enter or leave from the region and especially supports tourism and economic development.

In 2012, a major expansion of the airport was completed and opened to the public. Costing about AUD$8.68 Million, it effectively doubled the size of the facility. This now includes a dedicated arrivals hall with baggage carousel, enlarged check-in area and improved security for the enlarged departure lounge.[4]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Airnorth Broome, Darwin
Seasonal: Perth[5]
AviairHalls Creek
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Perth

Charter airlines

  • Kimberley Air Tours[6]
  • Shoal Air
  • Alligator Airways(Which was grounded by CASA on 29 June 2012 and is not operating anymore)
  • Heliwork[7]
  • Slingair[8]

Due to the long distances involved in traveling across the Kimberley region, several air-tours are offered by various charter airlines not based in Kununurra, hopping across the north-west of Australia. Occasionally connecting some major eastern Australian cities directly with Kununurra and with some bus tour companies too, to avoid lengthy transfers in Darwin or Perth.

Statistics

Kununurra Airport was ranked 47th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2010-2011.[1][3]

Annual passenger and aircraft statistics for Kununurra Airport[3]
Year Revenue passengersAircraft movements
2001-02
37,134
2,200
2002-03
37,160
2,671
2003-04
40,239
2,625
2004-05
48,051
2,681
2005-06
50,901
2,556
2006-07
60,680
3,048
2007-08
69,483
2,817
2008-09
74,742
2,488
2009-10
81,933
2,514
2010-11
86,955
2,779

New Terminal

East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra) departure lounge.
View of East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra) from the window of a Virgin Australia Fokker 100
Airside view of East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra)
Arrivals gate at East Kimberley Regional Airport

Old Terminal

Former terminal building before the 2011-12 expansion works
Inside the former terminal building

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June
  2. 1 2 YPKU – Kununurra (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 01 March 2018, Aeronautical Chart Archived 10 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. 1 2 3 "Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2010-11". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
  4. ↑ http://www.kimberleypage.com.au/2012/02/kununurra-airport-extensions-to-open/#sthash.xdujdMnt.dpuf
  5. ↑ https://secure.airnorth.com.au/AirnorthSchedule/?q=plan-your-trip/timetable
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Heliwork WA
  8. ↑ Slingair
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