Australia’s Skytraders Eyes Passenger Charter Flights to the US

Australian charter airline Skytraders has applied to the US Department of Transportation for authority to start Melbourne (MEL) – Los Angeles Van Nuys (VNY) passenger charter flights in September 2025. The airline submitted its application on June 26.

The airline says the proposed services, which will use A319-100 aircraft, align with the current United States – Australia bilateral air services agreement.

“Pursuant to Article 3 thereof, duly licensed airlines of Australia may operate scheduled flights and charters carrying passengers and cargo between the two countries,” the application reads. “Skytraders has been formally designated by the Government of Australia under this agreement.”

“It is Skytraders’ understanding that opportunities for US carriers to provide scheduled and charter service to Los Angeles are available pursuant to the US – Australia agreement.”

On the same day, Skytraders asked the Department of Transportation to treat certain parts of the application as confidential, including the company’s financial data, total traffic estimates, and the anticipated financial results from the proposed services.

“Disclosure would allow competitors to gain critical knowledge of Skytraders’ financial standing and other proprietary matters,” the filing noted.

Skytraders’ was founded in Sydney in 1979. Originally, the company concentrated on new air-cargo routes from Australia to the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. During this period, the airline became Australia’s biggest beef exporter to Japan.

More recently, Skytraders has specialised in providing technically complex to the Australian Government and specialist charter clients.

Skytraders seven aircraft now operate for the Australian Antarctic Division, the Australian Defence Force’s Parachuting School, Victoria Police, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

These contracts incorporate a broad range of specialist services, including special mission charter, repatriation, medivac and emergency response, cold climate operations, surveillance, search and rescue, high-altitude parachute training, and cargo and logistics.

The contracts have resulted in Skytraders aircraft operating worldwide, including within the African, American, Antarctician, Asian and European continents, as well as Australasia and Oceania.

You can read the Department of Transportation filing here.

Photo: By Eli Duke via Flickr.