Mineral Resources’ (MinRes) internal airline has celebrated one year of operations, with MinRes Air revolutionising the fly in, fly out (FIFO) experience for employees.
MinRes Air’s inaugural flight landed in the Pilbara region of Western Australia in July 2024.
Now, the airline has delivered more than 1000 flights, transporting people and vital cargo while setting new standards for flight safety, efficiency and comfortability.
MinRes Air’s modern A319 and A320 fleet currently covers routes from Perth and Brisbane to MinRes sites such as the Ken’s Bore iron ore mine – part of the Onslow Iron project – and the Wodgina lithium mine.
“Every aspect of MinRes Air – from roster planning to fleet optimisation – is developed to support the unique needs of MinRes and its workforce,” MinRes Air chief executive officer Graeme Taylor said.
“Our people know their journey will be reliable, which means less time waiting, quicker transfers and, importantly, more time at home with their families after a long swing.”
Since February, MinRes Air has delivered urgent cargo such as vital equipment and machine parts to MinRes’ key operations such as Ken’s Bore.
MinRes said these crucial items would originally be transported by road, potentially causing costly delays. But these interruptions have been reduced and productivity has been maintained thanks to MinRes Air.
The airline has also facilitated emergency evacuations during cyclones or other adverse weather events, reducing reliance on external carriers and increasing safety of MinRes’ people.
“Whether it’s getting essential freight to site or swiftly evacuating staff, MinRes Air gives us capabilities that simply didn’t exist before,” Taylor said.
Looking ahead, MinRes Air hopes to expand its services to other locations.
“Our journey is just beginning. We’ve laid a solid foundation, but there is still so much more ahead,” Taylor said.
“With every milestone, we strengthen our commitment to delivering a travel experience that supports our team, underpins our productivity and sets a new industry standard for what’s possible in FIFO aviation.”
Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
