While JetGo Australia is not in direct competition with market leader Qantas, there is an opportunity for the fledgling airline to take on the aviation giant in the future.

Chief executive officer Jason Ryder said if a mining company was prepared to underwrite JetGo's services to Mount Isa he would be more than happy to take on the likes of Qantas.

"It's something we would look at in the future," Mr Ryder said.

Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady said he would welcome competition on the Brisbane to Mount Isa route, and was prepared to enter discussions with major and minor players in the aviation industry to secure a second airline on the route.

"The aviation industry is a private enterprise so if a player wants to come to Mount Isa the marketplace will determine if it is successful or not," Cr McGrady said.

"Maybe this will create the competition we're looking for."

Cr McGrady said he has not given up on enticing Virgin to Mount Isa and said he planned to hold discussions with Qantas to see if it could "give the flying public a deal" in terms of cheaper flights.

Cr McGrady said he hoped JetGo would not just pick up more fly-in, fly-out workers coming to Mount Isa, making money and spending it elsewhere.

He said he would rather increase the number of residential workers in the region's mines.

JetGo was given the green light by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on Friday to start flying for the fly-in, fly-out market.

The company's Brisbane to Cloncurry route starts next week carrying 36 miners on its Embraer jet.