Skytrans to take over regional flight route after Rex withdrawal

A regional airline has withdrawn one of its regular services due to claims of “relentless pillaging”. What this means for the affected community.

Rex airlines has announced it will no longer service the Cairns to Bamaga route, effective October 30, 2023. Picture: SUPPLIED

A popular regional airline servicing remote Far North Queensland communities has withdrawn one of its regular routes, claiming “relentless pillaging” of its pilots from Qantas.

Regional Express, colloquially known as Rex, has announced it will no longer operate flights from Cairns to Bamaga, effective October 30, 2023.

The airline announced the decision in September, along with a reduction of flight routes operating out of Sydney and into regional New South Wales.

It claimed it was forced to make further reductions to its regional network as the major carriers, particularly the Qantas Group, continued a “relentless pillaging of Rex’s pilot group”.

Rex airlines has announced it will no longer service the Cairns to Bamaga route, effective October 30, 2023.

The reductions all involve the regional routes serviced by Rex’s fleet of Saab 340 turboprop aircraft.

However routes to the Gulf region, including Normanton, Doomadgee, Mornington Island and Burketown, which are subsidised by the Queensland Government, will not be affected.

Rex’s general manager of network strategy Warrick Lodge said Rex had a long history of servicing the route.

“Rex has serviced the Cairns to Bamaga route for many years and has worked hard to provide these essential services to the Northern Peninsula Area, particularly through the Covid pandemic,” Mr Lodge said.

Cairns airline Skytrans will commence operations of the Cairns to Bamaga flight route after Rex’s withdrawal on October 30, 2023. Picture: Brendan Radke

A spokesman from rival airline Skytrans confirmed current operations on the Cairns to Bamaga route would increase.

“In September 2021 Skytrans commenced flying from Cairns to Bamaga with three flights per week. From October 30, this increases to nine flights per week, and we are looking to increase this further from April 2024,” the spokesman said.

“We currently operate regular passenger flights from Cairns to Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, Aurukun, Lockhart River, Horn Island, Bamaga and Proserpine. From Horn Island we operate to 11 islands in the Torres Strait.”

Skytrans currently operates from Monday to Sunday, except Saturdays.

Originally published as Skytrans to take over regional flight route after Rex withdrawal