Print PageThe Northern Territory's Business Minister is writing to some of Australia's biggest oil and mining companies, asking them to consider Alice Springs as a hub for their fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers.
Peter Chandler says many workers from the east coast of Australia are being flown to Perth, before flying into the regions for work.
He says the Alice Springs Airport is a better geographical and economic option than Perth Airport, for companies and airlines.
"Eighty per cent of the people that fly into Perth from the eastern seaboard only turn around and fly back up into the regions," he said.
"Why now just spend six hours on an aircraft, flying from Sydney to Perth for instance, and then another couple of hours up into the regions, why wouldn't you go via Alice?
"Now I'm sure Alice has got capacity, I'm sure this might involve someone needing to build some kind of hotel."
Mr Chandler says, on a recent trip to Perth, he was struck by the congestion caused by FIFO workers at the Perth Airport.
"Why wouldn't you hub out of Alice Springs to go into the north areas of Western Australia, rather than fly all the way across to Perth, only to turn around and fly back up into the regions?" he said.
