Australia’s Skytrans Ends 208B Flights, Cuts Eleven Routes

Skytrans has ended all Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operations and discontinued scheduled passenger services to eleven Torres Strait islands. The decision, made without prior public notice, leaves Hinterland Aviation to absorb much of the route network once operated from Skytrans’ Horn Island base.

The suspended routes include flights to Murray, Darnley, Yorke, Coconut, Yam, Saibai, Boigu, Mabuiag, Badu, Kubin, and Warraber (Sue) islands. These destinations lie between Australia and Papua New Guinea and are considered vital for community connectivity.

“Skytrans took this hard decision to mitigate risks and complexity of having single engine operations in combination with turboprops and jets,” said Managing Director Gytis Gumuliauskas. He added that the airline will now focus on expanding capacity with its Dash 8 and A319 fleets, with no further cuts planned.

Torres Strait Island Regional Council Mayor Phillemon Mosby expressed concern about the impact on local communities. The Cairns Post reported the route closures followed quiet discussions with Northern Territory Air Services, which ultimately declined to take over the operations.

Hinterland Aviation, which also flies C208Bs, has stepped in to cover most of the affected routes and is transferring Skytrans’ booked passengers. CEO Andrew Clair said the decision to scale up was driven by sustained growth in demand.

Skytrans, now owned by Avia Solutions Group, continues scheduled services in North Queensland with five DHC-8-100s, two DHC-8-200s, and two DHC-8-300s. It also recently secured a deal to operate Qantas’ Lord Howe Island route and imported two A319s for regional wet-lease operations.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com