Rex adds new routes in Queensland expansion

Rex Airlines is taking the fight up to rival Qantas, including to the tourist hub of Cairns, as it expands both charter and scheduled flights.

Rex at Brisbane Domestic Airport

Rex Airlines is taking the fight up to rival Qantas in Queensland with new connections on key routes, including to the tourist hub of Cairns.

The regional airline on Monday will launch an inaugural Brisbane to Adelaide flight, adding to its existing connections to Melbourne and Sydney as well as 24 Queensland destinations.

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said as part of the expansion the carrier was offering a one-way ticket Brisbabe to Adelaide and Brisbane to Cairns for $149, $50 cheaper than Qantas.

“The plan is to put on more flights up and down the Queensland coast,” said Mr Sharp. “We will be injecting more aircraft into Queensland to meet expanding demand for our services.”

Rex also has announced twice weekly charter flights between Cairns, Townsville and Moranbah as well as an additional weekly connection between Brisbane and Moranbah for BHP Mitsubishi using Dash 8-400NG aircraft from its National Jet Express (NJE) subsidiary.

Rex purchased a stake in NJE, formerly Cobham Aviation, for $48m last year in an effort to move into the lucrative fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and charter markets. The deal expanded its services in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

Mr Sharp said the Dash-8 aircraft would be used on charter flights in the morning before being utilised on the scheduled flight to Cairns at lunch time. “There is a lot of sense in utilising aircraft that would otherwise be sitting on the ground,” he said. “The ability to use leverage off the NJE network is helping us expand into Queensland.”

National Jet Express managing director Chris Hine said the carrier intends to be the first port of call for resource companies that seek “premium, reliable air services in modern aircraft with a greatly reduced carbon footprint.”

ohn Sharp

Mr Hine said new fly-in, fly out (FIFO) contracts in Queensland demonstrated that the carrier was on the right trajectory. “I see a crying demand across the construction, mining and resources industries and we are actively sourcing additional modern aircraft for both Queensland as well as Western Australia,” Mr Hine said.

Mr Sharp said the new daily flights between Brisbane and Adelaide, operated by a Boeing 737-800NG, would provide an additional 124,000 seats a year between the two cities. Prior to the pandemic, 875,000 people flew between these two cities. “The strong forward bookings show demand is roaring back,” Mr Sharp said.

He said access to NJE aircraft would allow Rex to look closely at the viability of flying to more major Queensland coastal cities and major tourist destinations.

He said Rex was also adding additional flights between Brisbane and Melbourne over the Christmas holidays. These will be scheduled between 16 December and 7 January to satisfy demand. The extra flights will be supported by the arrival of Rex’s 10th 737-800NG which is due to be delivered next month.

Mr Sharp said the prospects for 2024 were brighter, as Rex took delivery of more Boeing 737s. The jets would smooth the way for expansion of their domestic network, and bring in more passenger revenue, he said. A frequent-flyer program was also in the pipeline in response to customer demand.

“One of the things our check-in staff tell me is passengers are constantly asking ‘where’s our frequent-flyer program?’ And I think it will be very well received because it is one point of difference between ourselves and Qantas and Virgin,” he said.

Rex has been hit by an acute pilot shortage and severe dislocation of the supply chain that has seen up to a third of the airline’s Saab 340 fleet remain parked earlier this year, forcing cuts to regional flying.

A Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Rex Airlines

Originally published as Rex adds new routes in Queensland expansion