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Chapter 3 | Past performance of air services on regional air routesMajor regional air routes within South Australia in 2005 were Adelaide–Port Lincoln,Adelaide–Kingscote, Adelaide–Mount Gambier and Adelaide–Whyalla.TasmaniaAs in the Northern Territory, the trend of passenger growth in Tasmania went againstthe national trend. Figure 3.24 depicts a generally decreasing trend in both the numberof revenue passengers and the number of flights on regional air routes within Tasmaniaover the past 22 years. The number of revenue passengers fell from 193 000 in 1984 to33 000 in 2005. The number of flights also decreased from 13 000 in 1984 to 5000 in 2005.Figure 3.24 Intrastate air services on regional air routes in Tasmania,1984 to 20051614320280Number of flights (thousands)121086420Source:19841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997BITRE time series estimates.Number of flights on regional air routesRevenue passengersThe number of airlines serving regional Tasmania increased from four airlines in 1984to six airlines in 2005 (Figure 3.25). The number of intrastate regional air routes inTasmania fell from 24 in 1984 to seven in 2005. In particular, the number of air routesfell dramatically between 1994 and 1995. The number of air routes with an average ofless than three return flights a week fell from 20 to 10 routes. The decline was partlya result of rationalization of air services by Airlines of Tasmania. The airline ceasedoperations on regional routes between Smithton–Strahan, Smithton–Queenstown,Strahan–Burnie, Cambridge–Launceston, Devonport–Queenstown and Cambridge–Flinders Island. In addition, air services on routes such as Devenport–Strahan,Flinders Island–Saint–Helens, Hobart–Smithton, Devonport–Flinders Island and KingIsland–Strahan also ceased after 1994.Major airlines serving regional Tasmania in 2005 were Tasair and Airlines of Tasmania,each serving three routes (Table 3.7). Tasair carried 53 per cent and Airline of Tasmania43 per cent of all intrastate regional revenue passengers in Tasmania in 2005.1998199920002001200220032004200524020016012080400Revenue passengers (thousands)89