No Australia Day celebrations as Qantas, Virgin focus on flying

Qantas and Virgin Australia have all but ignored Australia Day leaving it to regional carrier Rex to perform a Sydney Harbour flyover in honour of the occasion.

Regional carrier Rex performed a Sydney Harbour flyover in honour of Australia Day. Picture: Supplied

Qantas and Virgin Australia have all but ignored Australia Day leaving it to regional carrier Rex to perform a Sydney Harbour flyover in honour of the now controversial occasion.

In past years, Qantas has sent an A380 over Sydney and handed out Tim Tams to travellers at baggage carousels, while Virgin Australia has dished up lamingtons and meat pies in its lounges.

Both airlines denied this year’s lack of acknowledgment was a political or social statement about the national day, but rather a sad reflection of the hardship being experienced by the aviation industry in the current COVID crisis.

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman suggested they were focused on simply getting planes in the sky, while a Qantas spokeswoman indicated they were also tied up with navigating border chaos.

In 2014, 2015, and 2016, Qantas flew an A380 over Sydney Harbour to mark Australia Day but in 2021 the airline did not acknowledge the occasion.

Qantas’ fleet of A380s are currently mothballed in the Californian desert until demand returns for the 494-seat aircraft – not expected until late 2023 or 2024.

And in the aftermath of administration, Virgin Australia has five of its remaining seven lounges open, serving a limited array of food and beverages.

In contrast, Rex targeted the occasion to promote the latest addition to its fleet – a Boeing 737 freshly painted in the airline’s livery – sent soaring over Australia’s most iconic man-made landmark.

Rex Deputy chairman John Sharp said it was “a great honour for Rex to be taking part in our national celebrations”.

The 737s will be used by Rex to operate the carrier’s new Sydney-Melbourne flights from March 1, borders permitting, competing against Qantas and Virgin.

Mr Sharp said flights to Brisbane would be added after Easter.

“Australians deserve a reliable premium service at affordable fares, and Rex will be providing

exactly that in the same way it is doing for 60 regional routes,” said Mr Sharp.

“As their eyes look skyward on Australia Day, they will know that there is a new player in town and Australia’s domestic airline industry will never be the same again.”

Upon launching bookings for the new route late last year, Rex released 100,000 sale fares at $79 one way.

Although Mr Sharp has described the take-up as “encouraging”, the Rex booking site showed plenty of cheap fares available.

Tourism industry leaders have warned that more operators and businesses would struggle to survive if the border mayhem continued in 2021.

On Monday, Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond warned that the lack of certainty over the state and federal responses to COVID cases was killing the industry.