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Simon Flower

Nexus Airlines: The Little Battler taking on the Big Guys

The arrival of customer centric local airline Nexus is a game changer for Kimberley aviation.

Stop Press – August 2025

On 4 August Nexus announced that they were suspending services between Broome, Kununurra and Darwin for the foreseeable future. The airline still operates on the West Coast serving Perth, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome’ but Nexus MD, Micheal McConachy stated about Air North…

“The additional capacity they introduced, and aggressive pricing have made it financially unsustainable to continue on this route and, despite Nexus taking a significant share of the market, ultimately they have deeper pockets and were prepared to continue to fly with unused capacity”

Hopefully Nexus will be able to resume its East Kimberley services soon to provide much needed competition for both the locals and tourists of the east Kimberley region.

 

Western Australia – it’s big.

The distances are as immense as the landscapes are breathtaking & hence air travel is an essential part of regional WA life.

Nexus Airlines, launched in July 2023, is challenging the dominance of established carriers like Qantas and Airnorth, bringing much needed competition and connectivity to regional WA communities.

Up until then the dominant carrier in the region was Air North (nicknamed ‘Scare North’ by the Kimberley locals). With its monopoly position its fares were unrestricted and its customer service was almost non-existent.

A Fresh Breeze in Regional Aviation

Nexus Airlines operates a fleet of 76-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, connecting towns such as Geraldton, Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome, Kununurra, and Darwin. This network allows passengers to travel between these regional centres without the need to transit through Perth, a game-changer for both locals and tourists. 

Interested in a Kimberley cruise?

Download our free guide to Kimberley cruising

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Ready to speak to a Kimberley cruise expert?

1300 654 861 (AU)
0800 102 338 (NZ)

or book an appointment to speak to a Kimberley cruise expert at a time of your choosing.

Community (and customer) Centric Approach

What sets Nexus apart is its commitment to the communities it serves. Through its NexusGO program, a portion of each ticket sold is directed to community and charity initiatives at both departure and arrival ports. This approach not only fosters goodwill but also strengthens the airline’s ties with regional towns.

And their respect for their passengers shines through in their friendliness on board and overall customer service. My flight from Kununurra to Darwin (yes I wouldn’t be writing about them if I didn’t use them myself)  was unfortunately delayed by an hour.

As well as receiving a text notification I subsequently received a phone call from them checking I had received the original text and apologising for the inconvenience.

An airline apologising for inconveniencing its customers – how rare is that!

Affordable Fares and Increased Competition

The benefit of competition is easy to see by looking at flight costs on days when Nexus doesn’t operate. A Broome to Kununurra flight can easily cost $500 – $600 with Air North unless Nexus operates that day when it falls to $300-$350 to match its new competitor.

The Kimberley was crying out for a reliable and community focused airline to provide competition to the US owned Air North. Nexus Airways has answered the call.

After 35 years in the travel industry I am a tad cynical about the commitment of airlines to their customers and communities. Since COVID the dominant Australian airlines have made record profits with sky high fares and, at times, terrible service. 

No airline is perfect but Expedition Partners sends hundreds of guests to the Kimberley each year and whenever possible we entrust the intra-town flights to Nexus.

What to do next

If you’d like more information, either researching on your own or by talking to a person who has been to the Kimberley and can give you first hand advice, here are four options:

Download your FREE copy of "Ultimate Guide to Kimberley Cruising”

Includes the top nine questions travellers ask and our honest answers to them, plus a pre-trip checklist.

It’s the perfect starting point for initial research.

Download Now

Talk to the team

Kimberley cruises are not one size fits all — there are many different ships each offering their own special elements.

We would love to help you. You’re invited to book a FREE 30-Minute Kimberley Cruise Planning Session to have all you questions answered, without the “hard sell” everyone hates.

Call 1300 654 861
Book a call

Research the latest specials that include free flights and free accommodation

With almost twenty years of experience in booking Kimberley cruises we have great relationships with many of the most popular cruise vessels. Why does that matter to you?

It means we have been able to negotiate some great free inclusions with several of the best cruise vessels including free flights, free tours, and free accommodation in Darwin or Broome.

View cruises

Dig even deeper via our blog. Here are a few of the most popular posts:

Blog, Featured Kimberley

Why should I book my Kimberley Cruise with you?

Read Full Article
Blog, Featured Kimberley

The Top Seven ‘Must Sees’ of a Kimberley cruise

Read Full Article
Blog, Featured Kimberley

How fit do you need to be to take a Kimberley cruise?

Read Full Article

What travellers say

“Their product knowledge is amazing”

I am very impressed with this company. All the staff I have dealt with have been extremely helpful and courteous, even when I have had to change my travel plans. They went out of their way to assist me with the changes. Their product knowledge is amazing and their help in arranging accommodation and tours has been fabulous. Their offer of two free nights accommodation and a free Broome sightseeing tour is an added bonus. I am very happy that I have booked with them and would thoroughly recommend them.

— Sandra West, QLD

“The cruise suited us perfectly”

We were very pleased with the help we received from Jenny and Simon when we were deciding on which cruise to choose for our Kimberley holiday. The cruise we settled for, Coral Expeditions, suited us perfectly. We were also very pleased with the two free nights accommodation and hop on hop off bus pass in Darwin. Highly recommended.

— Diana Carr, VIC

“Interesting and diverse travel experiences”

The highlights for us were the fabulous food and the unique nature experiences. These were enhanced by on board naturalist with an endless love and knowledge of the region.

I love the followup and practical advice offered by Expedition Partners They offer interesting and diverse travel experiences, truly beyond adventure!

— Eloise Millsteed, NSW

About Simon Flower

Originally from the United Kingdom, Simon has worked in the travel industry for over thirty-five years. He is passionate about genuine expedition style travel and has travelled to both the Arctic and Antarctic on expedition vessels.

 

Expedition Partners (formerly Flower Travel) specialise in expedition style travel by small ship cruise and private rail journeys.

PH: 1300 654 861

Monday-Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm

contact@expeditionpartners.com.au

Book a call

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