{{Short description|Airport of Kingscote, South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}} {{Infobox airport | name = Kingscote/Kangaroo Island Airport | image = Kingscote Airport YKSC airborne view.jpg | image-width = 200 | caption = Kingscote Airport prior to runway upgrade | image2 = AUS-SA-KI-Kingscote-KGC Airport (1).jpg | image2-width = 200 | caption2 = The terminal building at Kingscote Airport | IATA = KGC | ICAO = YKSC | type = Public | operator = [[Kangaroo Island Council]] | city-served = [[Kangaroo Island]] | location = [[Cygnet River, South Australia|Cygnet River]]<ref name=KI-DP>{{cite web|title=Kangaroo Island Council development plan |url=http://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/16640/Kangaroo_Island_Council_Development_Plan.pdf |publisher=[[Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure]] (DPTI) |date=20 February 2014 |access-date=22 August 2015 |pages=111 & 271 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117063629/http://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/16640/Kangaroo_Island_Council_Development_Plan.pdf |archive-date=17 November 2015 }} </ref> | elevation-f = 24 | coordinates = {{coord|35|42|36.3|S|137|31|29.6|E|region:AU-SA|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = South Australia | pushpin_label = YKSC | pushpin_map_caption = Location in South Australia | website = | metric-rwy = y | r1-number = 01/19 | r1-length-m = 1,402 | r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]] | r2-number = 06/24 | r2-length-m = 1,134 | r2-surface = [[Gravel]] | r3-number = 15/33 | r3-length-m = 1,164 | r3-surface = [[Gravel]] | stat-year = 2010/11<ref name="fiscal"/> | stat1-header = Passengers | stat1-data = 51,021 | stat2-header = Aircraft movements | stat2-data = 2,398 | footnotes = Sources: Australian [[Aeronautical Information Publication|AIP]] and aerodrome chart<ref name="AIP">{{AIP AU|YKSC|name=Kingscote}}, [http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/KSCAD01-122.pdf Aeronautical Chart] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410062814/http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/KSCAD01-122.pdf |date=10 April 2012 }}</ref><ref name="BITRE" /> }} '''Kingscote Airport''' {{Airport codes|KGC|YKSC}}, also known as '''Kangaroo Island Airport''' is located {{convert|6.5|NM|lk=in}} southwest<ref name="AIP"/> of [[Kingscote, South Australia]], the main town on [[Kangaroo Island]], in the locality of [[Cygnet River, South Australia|Cygnet River]]. The airport is the sole airport for Kangaroo Island.<ref name=KI-DP/><ref>{{cite web |title=A Business Case for the Upgrade of the Kangaroo Island Airport at Kingscote |url=https://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Business%20Case%20for%20the%20upgrade%20of%20the%20Kingscote%20Airport%20at%20Kingscote_May2013.pdf |access-date=14 November 2015 |date=May 2013 |author=Kangaroo Island Council |page=17 |archive-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328130621/http://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Business%20Case%20for%20the%20upgrade%20of%20the%20Kingscote%20Airport%20at%20Kingscote_May2013.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The airport is served by regular public transport and many charter flights. The airport is managed by the [[Kangaroo Island Council]], which has operated the airport since 16 June 1983.

A runway upgrade and new terminal building were completed in May 2018, and officially opened by Prime Minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]] and Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, on 4 July 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/airportupgrade |title=Kangaroo Island Council – Airport Upgrade |website=kangarooisland.sa.gov.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122024333/http://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/airportupgrade |archive-date=2015-11-22}}</ref>

==Airline history== Guinea Airways operated the first commercial service to Kangaroo Island, commencing in the 1930s. In 1959, the airline was acquired by [[Airlines of South Australia]] (ASA), a subsidiary of [[Ansett Transport Industries|Ansett]]. The airline's final service was on 4 April 1986. ASA primarily operated [[Convair]]s, [[Douglas DC-3]] and [[Fokker F-27]] aircraft. A [[Piaggio P166]] was used infrequently in the 1970s, whilst [[Rossair (Australia)|Rossair]] operated [[Cessna 402]]s in an arrangement with ASA to replace the F27s in off-peak times.

Following the withdrawal of ASA, [[Kendell Airlines]] (another Ansett subsidiary), operated 19-seat [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild Metroliners]] and 34 seat [[Saab AB|SAAB]] aircraft to the Island. Upon Ansett's ultimate demise in 2002, [[Rex Airlines]] acquired the Kendell aircraft and continued services which were later dropped.

In competition with the larger aircraft, and generally with more flexible timetables, a succession of smaller airlines from the 1980s tried with varying success to maintain a 'second string' presence. The most successful, [[Emu Airways]], commenced in 1980 and made its final flight in November 2005. Emu flew [[Piper PA-31 Navajo|Piper Chieftain]] aircraft to Kingscote, American River, Penneshaw and Parndana, before air regulations dictated abandonment of all airstrips except Kingscote. Air Kangaroo Island (formerly Air Transit), flew [[Cessna 402]]s to the island during the 1990s. Keith Stevens operated Albatross Airlines for much of the 1980s and early 1990s.

From 1986 to 1990, [[Lloyd Aviation]] operated [[Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante]] aircraft, before flying the Irish-made [[Short 330]]. For several years during the 1980s, Commodore Airlines (eventually becoming State Air) offered another alternative service. [[QantasLink]] briefly operated a service after the demise of Emu Airways, commencing 18 December 2005,<ref>{{cite news|title= Other News – 10/31/2005|url= http://atwonline.com/airports-routes/news/other-news-10312005-0309|newspaper= [[Air Transport World]]|date=1 November 2005 |access-date=20 August 2011}}</ref> but withdrew less than six months later. Air South started operations using a Cessna Titan in January 2007 but ceased regular flights on 17 October 2009.<ref>https://apps.contact-technology.co.nz/TakeFlitePublicsth/%28S%28qrnx0irylo0lvv55jvg0ix45%29%29/Default.aspx {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref>

Qantaslink announced they will commence year round services to [[Adelaide Airport|Adelaide]] and seasonal services to [[Melbourne Airport|Melbourne]] from December 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theislanderonline.com.au/story/4698742/qantas-to-fly-in-to-ki|title=Qantas to fly in to KI|date=31 May 2017|access-date=31 May 2017|archive-date=31 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531064129/http://www.theislanderonline.com.au/story/4698742/qantas-to-fly-in-to-ki/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Routes to Adelaide were later upgraded to the larger [[Q400]] aircraft, as deployed on most other regional SA routes.

In 2022, Rex terminated their Adelaide to Kangaroo Island service,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theislanderonline.com.au/story/6610683/regional-express-airlines-to-end-kangaroo-island-service/|title=Regional Express airlines to end KI service, after Qantas steps up flights|date=5 February 2020}}</ref> leaving [[QantasLink]] as the sole operator of the route.

==Airlines and destinations== <!-- Please use only independent sources. The airport and the airline itself are not independent sources. --> {{Airport-dest-list <!-- --> | Lucas Air | '''Charter:''' [[Adelaide Airport|Adelaide]] <!-- --> | [[QantasLink]] | [[Adelaide Airport|Adelaide]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Harmsen|first1=Nick|title=Qantas to offer direct flights to Kangaroo Island from Adelaide and Melbourne|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-05/qantas-to-fly-direct-to-kangaroo-island-from-melbourne/8589502|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia|date=5 June 2017|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> }}

==Statistics== Kingscote Airport was [[List of the busiest airports in Australia|ranked 60th in Australia]] for the number of [[revenue passenger]]s served in [[financial year]] 2010–2011.<ref name="fiscal">[[Fiscal year]] 1 July – 30 June</ref><ref name="BITRE">{{cite web|url=http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/files/WebAirport_FY_1986-2011.xls |title=Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2010-11 |publisher=[[Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics]] |date=May 2012 |access-date=27 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324180211/https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/files/WebAirport_FY_1986-2011.xls |archive-date=24 March 2012 }} Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"</ref> <div class="center">

{{Airport-Statistics|iata=KGC}} {{Bar chart | title = Annual passenger and aircraft statistics for Kingscote Airport<ref name="BITRE" /> | bar_width = 19 | width_units = em | label_type = Year<ref name="fiscal"/> | label1 = 2001-02 | label2 = 2002-03 | label3 = 2003-04 | label4 = 2004-05 | label5 = 2005-06 | label6 = 2006-07 | label7 = 2007-08 | label8 = 2008-09 | label9 = 2009-10 | label10 = 2010-11 | data_type = Revenue passengers | data_max = 65,000 | data1 = 63,445 | data2 = 64,101 | data3 = 62,677 | data4 = 64,661 | data5 = 60,252 | data6 = 59,155 | data7 = 63,985 | data8 = 59,587 | data9 = 54,480 | data10 = 51,021 | col2_data_type = Aircraft movements | col2_data_max = 9,000 | col2_data1 = 8,640 | col2_data2 = 7,679 | col2_data3 = 6,622 | col2_data4 = 6,305 | col2_data5 = 3,541 | col2_data6 = 4,154 | col2_data7 = 5,744 | col2_data8 = 4,754 | col2_data9 = 3,256 | col2_data10 = 2,398 |label11=2011-12|label12=2012-13|label13=2013-14|label14=2014-15|label15=2015-16|label16=2016-17|label17=2017-18|label18=2018-19|label19=2019-20|label20=2020-21|label21=2021-22|label22=2022-23|label23=2023-24|label24=2024-25|data11=41,311|data12=38,778|data13=37,851|data14=35,665|data15=36,467|data16=38,009|data17=42,702|data18=43,528|data19=31,651|data20=10,648|data21=11,959|data22=17,620|data23=26,419|data24=31,732|col2_data11=2,237|col2_data12=2,216|col2_data13=2,147|col2_data14=2,142|col2_data15=2,125|col2_data16=2,126|col2_data17=2,184|col2_data18=2,252|col2_data19=1,780|col2_data20=678|col2_data21=752|col2_data22=715|col2_data23=976|col2_data24=1,064}} </div>

==See also== * [[List of airports in South Australia]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/services/airport Kingscote Airport] Retrieved 4 January 2021. * [https://www.rex.com.au/FlightInfo/Network.aspx Regional Express] Retrieved 4 January 2021.

{{Portal bar|South Australia|Aviation}} {{Airports in Australia}} {{Airports in South Australia}} {{Kangaroo Island |state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Airports in South Australia]] [[Category:Kangaroo Island]]