Virgin Blue to launch Adelaide - Broome (Australia) service

Australia's low fare airline Virgin Blue will launch a seasonal weekly flight between Adelaide and Broome from April 12, incorporating regional WA into its expanding route network for the first time and providing yet another direct destination option to and from Adelaide.

It follows hot on the heels of this week's announcement that Virgin Blue will introduce services direct from Sydney to the Whitsunday Coast Airport (Proserpine).

The weekend Broome flight is expected to appeal to the many tourists who travel to the Kimberley Gateway to relax and unwind for a week, whether it be casual strolls through Chinatown, a camel ride on Cable Beach or sipping cocktails while watching the spectacular sunset.

It will also benefit those visitors who fly to Broome to begin their backpacking adventure, heading towards Darwin through the Bungle Bungle National Park  or down the Great Northern Highway to Perth via Dampier Archipelago and the wonders of Ningaloo Reef.

Virgin Blue is offering a special "wow" launch fare of $249* one-way on the net, on sale from today until February 20, for travel between April 12 and June 29.

Everyday low fares will start from $320* one-way on the net, with the Fully Flexible fare of $620* one-way on the net, 34% lower than the Qantas equivalent fare of $936 one-way.

The Saturday evening flight DJ539 will depart Adelaide at 10.10pm, arriving in to Broome at 12.45am before turning around and going back to Adelaide as flight DJ540 for a 6.05am arrival.

Virgin Blue Chief Executive Brett Godfrey said, "We've been looking at Broome very closely for some time now and we are delighted to be in a position to launch services to our first WA regional destination and to be developing new routes that have previously been ignored by high cost carriers."

The announcement comes following lengthy negotiations with local tourism authorities who have thrown their support behind the low fare carrier, with visitor numbers expected to increase thanks to affordable air access.

The ability to operate the only direct service between Adelaide and Broome using Virgin Blue's modern Boeing 737-700 aircraft has become a reality only after the lengthening and strengthening of the Broome International Airport runway in the second half of last year.

The decision by the airport owners to invest in this work will open up further opportunities for more direct services in the future depending on demand and support for the initial flight.

While tourists and tourism operators will reap the benefits of Virgin Blue's low fares, it will also allow the people of the Kimberley region affordable flights for a visit to South Australia and the option to take advantage of convenient connections to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

* All fares include the passenger ticket levy, airport charges and the global security charge and are for flights booked on the Internet. $10 more by phone.