REX reveals Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne route
A third airline has thrown itself into the mix to lure passengers flying the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne “golden circle” away from Virgin and Qantas, promising to raise $30 million in a bid to keep tickets affordable and include baggage and meals.
QLD Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
REGIONAL Express Airlines will raise $30 million to launch flights from Brisbane to Sydney and Melbourne
REX, Australia’s largest regional airline, will raise the cash with a view to fly the service using up to 10 narrow-body aircraft from March 1, 2021.
Virgin Australia’s new owner expected to cut staff, routes
Bain Capital becomes new Virgin Australia owner after Cyrus Capital withdraws bid
More Qantas jobs to go if Vic outbreak delays ‘trans-Tasman bubble’
The airline’s deputy chairman John Sharp said tickets would be affordable and include baggage and meals on-board.
Lounge memberships will also be available.
“The board has authorised management to commence preparations in earnest for the operation of an initial fleet of five to ten narrow-body jet aircraft to be based out of Sydney and/or Melbourne to service the Golden Triangle,” the company said in a statement.
Mr Sharp said with infrastructure in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, it would be an “incremental extension for Rex to embark on domestic operations”.
“Rex has the biggest regional network in Australia and we are the only carrier in Australia that has been able to successfully navigate the turmoil and shocks over the last two decades with uninterrupted operational profits since 2003,” he said.
In March REX warned it was at risk of collapsing without assistance, prompting the government to grant it more than $80m to operate regional services until the end of the year.