East Kimberley Regional Airport

The East Kimberley Regional Airport (IATA: KNX, ICAO: YPKU), locally known as the Kununurra Airport, is an airport in Kununurra, Western Australia. The airport is 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west of the town.^[2] Heavy wet seasons often result in this area being cut off from essential outside services and deliveries. The airport is a crucial piece of infrastructure which enables people and goods to enter or leave from the region and especially supports tourism and economic development.

East Kimberley Regional Airport
IATA: KNX ICAO: YPKU
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Shire of Wyndham East-Kimberley
Serves	Kununurra
Location	Kununurra, Western Australia
Elevation AMSL	145 ft / 44 m
Coordinates	15°46′41″S 128°42′27″E
Website	https://www.swek.wa.gov.au/airports.aspx
Map
YPKU Location in Western Australia
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 12/30 1,829 6,001 Asphalt
Statistics (2010/11[1])
Passengers 86,955 Aircraft movements 2,779
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[2] Passenger and aircraft movements from the BITRE[3]

In 2012, a major expansion of the airport was completed and opened to the public. Costing about AUD$8.68 million, it effectively doubled the size of the facility. This now includes a dedicated arrivals hall with baggage carousel, enlarged check-in area and improved security for the enlarged departure lounge.^[4]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Airnorth	Broome, Darwin Seasonal: Perth[5]
Aviair	Balgo, Halls Creek, Kalumburu
Nexus Airlines	Broome, Darwin[6]
Virgin Australia	Perth

Charter airlines

• Aviair^[7]
• Helispirit^[7]
• Kimberley Air Tours^[8]
• Shoal Air^[9]

Due to the long distances involved in traveling across the Kimberley region, several air-tours are offered by various charter airlines not based in Kununurra, hopping across the north-west of Australia. Occasionally connecting some major eastern Australian cities directly with Kununurra and with some bus tour companies too, to avoid lengthy transfers in Darwin or Perth.

Statistics

Kununurra Airport was ranked 47th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2010–2011.^[1][3]

Annual passenger traffic at KNX airport. See Wikidata query.

Annual passenger and aircraft statistics for Kununurra Airport^[3]

Year	Revenue passengers	Aircraft movements
2001–02	37,134	2,200
2002–03	37,160	2,671
2003–04	40,239	2,625
2004–05	48,051	2,681
2005–06	50,901	2,556
2006–07	60,680	3,048
2007–08	69,483	2,817
2008–09	74,742	2,488
2009–10	81,933	2,514
2010–11	86,955	2,779
2011–12	91,459	2,257
2012–13	91,992	2,428
2013–14	86,279	2,250
2014–15	77,407	2,192
2015–16	74,334	2,170
2016–17	71,190	2,119
2017–18	69,599	1,991
2018–19	77,072	2,043

New terminal

• 
  East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra) departure lounge
• 
  View of East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra) from the window of a Virgin Australia Fokker 100
• 
  Airside view of East Kimberly Regional Airport (Kununurra)
• 
  Arrivals gate at East Kimberley Regional Airport

Old terminal

• 
  Former terminal building before the 2011-12 expansion works
• 
  Inside the former terminal building

See also

• List of airports in Western Australia
• Aviation transport in Australia

References

1. Fiscal year 1 July – 30 June
2. YPKU – Kununurra (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024, Aeronautical Chart Archived 10 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
3. "Airport Traffic Data 1985–86 to 2010-11". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
4. "Kimberley Page :: News and Information from Western Australia's Kimberley Region, Kunnunurra news, Fitzroy Crossing News, Broome News, Derby News, Halls Creek News". kimberleypage.com.au. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
5. "Airnorth". secure.airnorth.com.au. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
6. "Flight Schedules".
7. "Scenic Flights & Air Tours – Air Charter Services – Scheduled Flights". Scenic Flights & Air Tours – Air Charter Services – Scheduled Flights – Aviair. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
8. "Scenic Air Tours & Charter Flights". Scenic Air Tours & Charter Flights – Kimberley Air Tours. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
9. "Shoal Air - Charter & Scenic Flights in the Kimberley". Scenic Air Tours & Charter Flights – Shoal Air Charter & Tours. Retrieved 21 November 2023.

External links

• Airservices Aerodromes & Procedure Charts