Rex Airlines suspended or changes nine routes from next week

Rex Airline will reduce or change nine flights across four states from Monday, with SA routes hit hard.

UP IN THE AIR: At the 2017 Lismore Aviation Expo, hundreds of people queued up to see the inside of a REX Airline s SAAB 340.

Regional mayors say a decision by Rex Airlines to cut and shift flight routes across SA will have a significant impact on their areas.

Chronic flight staff shortages have been blamed for drastic changes to services.

From May 1, nine flights operating across four states with Rex Airlines on the Saab 340 aircraft will either be reduced or change in flight times.

The affected route services to and from regional towns include flights from Sydney to Broken Hill, Broken Hill to Adelaide, Whyalla to Adelaide, Mount Gambier to Melbourne as well as Port Lincoln to Adelaide and Ceduna to Adelaide – while routes from Mildura to Adelaide will be suspended entirely.

Rex’s general manager of network strategy Warrick Lodge described the changes as necessary due to industry conditions.

“These adjustments are necessitated by the chronic shortage of airline professionals, particularly pilots and engineers, as well as the severe disruption in the supply chain of aircraft and engine parts.”

REX Airlines will suspend or change flight routes from Monday. Picture: AAP/Emma Brasier

He went on to say that Rex understands “the impacts these adjustments would have on the regional communities affected”.

Mayor of Whyalla, Phill Stone said the change will impact his constituents.

“We are certainly going to be very negatively affected,” Mr Stone told The Advertiser on Tuesday.

The area is currently serviced by Rex and QANTAS.

“We do really need the two airlines.”

But the mayor said that the changes are unsurprising.

“They have been making suggestions like that for a while,” he said.

In Ceduna, Mayor Ken Maynard said it will affect more than just recreational travellers

The town may see situations where medical staff “can’t get to Adelaide or get back” and the town relies on visiting doctors and nurses.

“I understand people have left the industry over Covid and aren’t coming back,” Mr Maynard said.

And the changes will have a knock-on effect for other areas of the state.

“It’s not just Ceduna people, it’s 400kms to Lincoln and about 470kms to Whyalla.”

Mr Lodge said the company would reinstate the services “once the situation has stabilised”.

There were concerns for regional flights in February after the airline reported an after tax loss of $16.5m and said regional operations flown by Saab 340s were “a drag” on the group’s performance.