Australia’s Rex extends cuts to regional network

Rex announced the airline will need to prolong the regional network reductions implemented in various stages in 2023 due to continuing dislocated supply chains post COVID that are heavily impacting the provision of aircraft spare parts, especially aircraft engine parts. The existing regional network reductions will continue from 31 March 2024 through until 27 October 2024. “As we have stated previously, Rex prefers to reduce services if it does not have the resources to fly them rather than continue to sell tickets for phantom flights and then cancelling them at the last minute. Rex finds such deliberate last-minute cancellations to be unconscionable as a cancelled flight can bring about untold hardships to the affected parties including having money tied down for months if indeed the refunds materialise,” Rex’s General Manager of Network Strategy Warrick Lodge, explained. “Rex never cancels a flight last-minute for expediency or for cash flow purposes or to hoard airport slots and this explains why Rex’s cancellation rate is 600% to 1,000% lower than its two larger competitors. Rex is committed to the rebuilding of its regional network and intends to return to the standard flight schedules from 27 October 2024, subject to the situation improving.” Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 57 Saab 340 and 10 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to 56 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator), the Australian Airline Pilot Academy with campuses in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat, and propeller maintenance organisation, Australian Aerospace Propeller Maintenance. Rex is also a 50% shareholder of National Jet Express (NJE), a Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO), charter and freight operator. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]