Skywest, Rio in air travel deal

Skywest Airlines Ltd has signed a scheduled charter supply contract with Rio Tinto Services Ltd for flights to and from Perth to mine sites in Western Australia.

Under the agreement, Skywest will provide 15 scheduled jet charter services weekly between Perth and iron ore mine sites located in the Pilbara for an initial period of three years, with an option to extend.

Skywest said it will add an additional F100 aircraft to its fleet to meet the extra Rio services.

Rio has been a Skywest customer since 2002 when services began to the Argyle diamond mine in the state's north.

"Providing services of this magnitude to one of the world's largest mining companies is proof positive that our strategy of focusing on the mining and resources sector is bearing fruit,' Skywest executive chairman Jeff Chatfield said.