Rex extends Bathurst, Cooma, Grafton, Lismore, Kangaroo Island flights
Regional Express will delay dropping five domestic routes as the Australian Government extends an industry support package.
By Chris C., March 22 2021
Regional Express (Rex) will now continue flying to Bathurst, Cooma, Grafton, Lismore and Kangaroo Island until the end of September, rather than terminating these flights at the end of March as previously planned.
The move comes in response to the “unexpected” extension of the Australian Government’s Regional Aviation Network Support (RANS) program, which had been helping to cover operating costs on these flights.
Rex’s Kangaroo Island route runs from Adelaide, while its services to Bathurst, Cooma, Grafton and Lismore depart from Sydney.
Fares on these flights for travel from April through September will open for sale this evening.
In other news, Rex’s plans to launch routes from Sydney to Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie will go ahead from April 1 as intended.
“Rex is pleased that these cities will finally have access to safe and reliable air services at affordable fares,” the company says, although both Sydney-Coffs Harbour and Sydney-Port Macquarie are routes also served by other airlines.
Both Virgin Australia and QantasLink offer regular flights between Sydney and Coffs Harbour – with QantasLink also launching Coffs Harbour flights from Melbourne and Brisbane from April 1 – while Sydney-Port Macquarie is also on QantasLink’s route map.
Rex is also gearing up for the launch of Melbourne-Gold Coast flights on March 29, Melbourne-Adelaide services on March 31, and Sydney-Gold Coast flights on April 1, using its two-class Boeing 737-800 jets.
Read: Rex expands Sydney-Melbourne flights to Gold Coast, Adelaide
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
13 May 2020
Total posts 827
it's all happening. So gather end of Sept 2021, Rex WILL pull out of these routes ? Just read Jetstar is also bringing 10 x A320s to Australia, for 2 to 3 years, from other Jetstar airlines. The skys are going to get crowded again, domestically. Good for consumers for next 6 months at least, while for some reason, when look at flights to LAX next year, total taxes seemed to have increased by around $50/adult out of BNE & SYD & around $20/adult out of MEL. Not sure why or what has increased ? Fuel surcharges ? Surely not.
30 Jul 2015
Total posts 135
Now we are gonna see two airlines flying to Cooma by July!
13 May 2020
Total posts 827
that sounds interesting, however I think Rex used to fly SYD/OOM about 6 days a week & twice on Fri/Sun. Wonder how many seats in 2021 cf. 2019 ?
09 Feb 2018
Total posts 5
I support REX'S goal of increasing competition, but at the expense of abandoning its core business - the regions - routes that have no other airline or alternative transport.
09 May 2020
Total posts 572
At the end, it’s down to money.
For REx, it’s a matter of commercial viability, competing interests for same equipment in other possibly more profitable routes, and the dealings with the local councils running the regional airports (including how pliable they are).
Not profitable, not enough equipment available and there’s a better offer of more profits on other routes, or troublesome or argumentative councillors, they are out.
Frankly it’s quite simple and that’s how they stay profitable; none of these motherhood “serving the people social service not for profit” psycho babble expectations (although REx is also guilty of putting out these marketing spills as much as other airlines)
Although QF do also service many regional airports REx goes to, their schedule are often not as extensive and cater more for leisure travellers rather than business (IMO anyway). I don’t like REx equipment and can’t earn FF pts with them, but had to fly them as their schedule are far practical for business trips (by 30-60 mins, doesn’t sound like much but it does for me)
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