MinRes Air secures air operator’s certificate, spelling bad news for Skytraders after its big profit boost

The charter airline that took Mineral Resources’ planes to the skies has recorded a near quadrupling of net profit, but its lucrative earnings stream could soon dry up. Sydney-based Skytraders generated a $9.2 million bottom line for the 2025 financial year, according to freshly filed documents, up from $2.6m in the financial year prior. Revenue fell marginally from $58.1m to $57m. The privately-owned Skytraders now may have to hunt for a new linchpin contract after MinRes secured its air operator’s certificate last month, enabling the mining company’s in-house airline to run its own fleet. Skytraders operated the first two planes in MinRes Air’s fleet of three Airbus aircraft, which fly workers from Perth and Brisbane to the company’s two lithium mines and Ken’s Bore iron ore mine in WA. MinRes Air launched its first flights in July 2024 and the operator contract has been a boon for Skytraders after it lost a lucrative package of government work, a loss which caused internal turmoil. Skytraders made large sums of money deporting detained asylum seekers to offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island. Enterprise agreement talks between Skytraders and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots — the country’s key union for pilots — hit turbulence in early 2024 after Skytraders failed to win a contract extension from the Australian Border Force. A new enterprise agreement was eventually struck in January this year when the MinRes work ramped up. MinRes made no secret of its desire to obtain an air operator’s certificate to run its own planes and was granted the licence by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on November 20. “Securing our own AOC is a testament to the expertise and dedication of MinRes Air’s highly experienced team of pilots, cabin crew, engineers, ground staff and management,” MinRes Air chief executive Graeme Taylor said. “The certification process involved comprehensive reviews of our processes and procedures, and live assessments of our safety systems, compliance and capabilities. “Since launching last year, MinRes Air has completed more than 1,200 flights and delivered exceptional on-time performance that enhances productivity at our operations.” Skytraders did not respond to requests for comment. Industry sources said MinRes Air secured its AOC sooner than expected. MinRes Air was originally half-owned by billionaire Tim Roberts, a friend and business associate of MinRes boss Chris Ellison. AVWest FIFO Pty Ltd, an entity wholly-owned by Mr Roberts, relinquished its MinRes Air stake in October last year. MinRes has not revealed whether Mr Roberts was remunerated for helping set up MinRes Air.