Rex in voluntary administration, ending all 737 services

[george27]

That is incorrect - the single QF flight is designed for Albury Wodonga locals to be able to travel for the day to-and-from Melbourne ... out at 6:30 AM and back in at approx. 8:30 PM.

.... and you completely miss the point.

The point is same-day from Melbourne to Albury/Wodonga and back

 

[drron]

You

Well I guess the opposite can be said to John Sharp and Rex.

He and his colleagues have no experience living and working in a metropolitan area, and I think the big "Our heart is in the country" decal on all metropolitan jet aircraft, as well as retaining the childish logo and brand "Regional Express" has alienated any potential customer base for Rex's jet services, which was meant to be the 3 in 4 Australians that live in the big cities. I think it's safe to say that "onboard country hospitality" will not and did not go down well on flights between Australia's two largest cities.

With that extraordinary amount of government aid (proportionally compared to QF and VA) that Rex received during the pandemic, maybe a potential rebrand to Ansett might have just worked.

You need to do a little more research. John Sharp has lived in the Southern Highlands of NSW for many years. He was in Federal Parliament for 14 years and has had business dealings in Sydney for many years. He was a director of Airbus Australia and it’s predecessor for 15 years.

Probably knows just a little more than you about aviation.
Could you please ignore my posts as you really don’t understand them

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well I guess the opposite can be said to John Sharp and Rex.

He and his colleagues have no experience living and working in a metropolitan area, and I think the big "Our heart is in the country" decal on all metropolitan jet aircraft, as well as retaining the childish logo and brand "Regional Express" has alienated any potential customer base for Rex's jet services, which was meant to be the 3 in 4 Australians that live in the big cities. I think it's safe to say that "onboard country hospitality" will not and did not go down well on flights between Australia's two largest cities.

With that extraordinary amount of government aid (proportionally compared to QF and VA) that Rex received during the pandemic, maybe a potential rebrand to Ansett might have just worked.

it’s not ‘regional express’, it’s ‘rex’. And as for logos, Jetstar has done pretty well when all the initial marketing was a bunch of people doing star jumps singing ‘let’s fly jetstaaaaah’.

As for the train from albury… minimum 4 hours, up to 4hrs30. You could fly and be in the centre of the city in 3, including ground transport. While that might not seem like such a huge saving, psychologically it is.

The logo and branding didn’t alienate anyone… it was a complete lack of marketing and FF program where - psychologically - most people feel like they’re getting a ‘bonus’.

I agree with others wanting to fly Qantas. Economy class offering snacks, hot snack, or meals, free wine and beer, almost 100% working wifi and inflight entertainment. Something neither VA nor ZL can offer.

 

[RSVKanga]

.... and you completely miss the point.

The point is same-day from Melbourne to Albury/Wodonga and back

If that's the case then I don't see why people won't want to use the train.

The QF flight from Melbourne to Albury is designed for people travelling from international/domestic and then connecting to Albury as a final destination. ZL didn't have the ability, so they lost out.

There is a train service, seven times daily, which has been operated by a modern Vlocity train since 2022 and takes 3.5h from city centre to city centre, just a bit over the same time you'd spend getting from Melbourne to Albury by air when you factor in the road travel times, security screening, airport wait times etc.

 

[antycbr]

Staff out of pocket if true

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818172467258745174

So how are the crew expected to operate an early service from a regional port back in to metro tomorrow morning? The staff must be so angry.

 

[Must...Fly!]

So how are the crew expected to operate an early service from a regional port back in to metro tomorrow morning? The staff must be so angry.

No idea, I suppose. And zero announcement about cancellations.

A totally unnecessary mess

 

[Saab34]

So how are the crew expected to operate an early service from a regional port back in to metro tomorrow morning? The staff must be so angry.

I think the hotel lockout was referring to a hotel at BNE airport. That would be Jet crew as they don’t run the Saab to BNE.

I hope they don’t dump crew and passengers at a random time tomorrow and say ‘that’s it’. I assume QF and VA are ready to go and offer options.

 

[RooFlyer]

All this talk of MEL-ABX and MEL-BWT, if Rex was so popular why didn’t locals keep supporting them? Rex quite often does the dummy spit approach whenever there is a competitor, rather than differentiating themselves.

Main reason for airline choice is price and loyalty benefits. But yes, the dummy spit approach was always alienating to me.

What the locals fear is what happens if REX exits.

I hope they don’t dump crew and passengers at a random time tomorrow and say ‘that’s it’. I assume QF and VA are ready to go and offer options.

I'd hope that if the Feds are going to offer some support for regional services, they put a condition on REX that the staff who have to go won't just be dumped.

 

[antycbr]

I'd hope that if the Feds are going to offer some support for regional services, they put a condition on REX that the staff who have to go won't just be dumped.

So if the taxpayer is on the hook to subsidise core regional ZL flying, does it include ports such as Dubbo or Coffs Harbour, which arguably is adequately served by QF?

 

[Saab34]

I'd hope that if the Feds are going to offer some support for regional services, they put a condition on REX that the staff who have to go won't just be dumped.

They need to make sure they are paid up to date for a start. None of this Bonza rubbish dumping staff a day before the end of the month on monthly pay cycle.

Administration can get a bit messy if you are ‘business as usual’ but for the Saab operation only, not the Jets. Who gets sacked, who gets paid, who gets this and that, becomes quite a headache.

 

[Harrison_133]

Apparently VH-PAG (which has been in maintenance checks for the last month in Melbourne) has been sighted at the jet base with trucks parked in front of both engines.

Make of that what you will...

 

[antycbr]

Apparently VH-PAG (which has been in maintenance checks for the last month in Melbourne) has been sighted at the jet base with trucks parked in front of both engines.

Make of that what you will...

Was the aircraft backed into a hangar? Otherwise you need to think about your blocking strategy…

Apparently VH-PAG (which has been in maintenance checks for the last month in Melbourne) has been sighted at the jet base with trucks parked in front of both engines.

Make of that what you will...

note that rego… PAG being the Private Equity firm.

 

[Thibault]

How does it work for international interline ticket holders (Etihad and Delta)?

Would they risk no-shows, instances of refused check-ins to then take over the impacted tickets and reissue on other carriers or would they take the risk to wait and assess?

 

[Harrison_133]

Was the aircraft backed into a hangar? Otherwise you need to think about your blocking strategy…

Aircraft at the jet base are usually backed up against a fence, so there's not really any room for them to go.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Apparently VH-PAG (which has been in maintenance checks for the last month in Melbourne) has been sighted at the jet base with trucks parked in front of both engines.

Shades of the AN collapse where disgruntled employees blocked AirNZ jets from pushback with GSE.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

ZL171, the 2000 departure with service from Sydney to Melbourne is now showing on FR24.

ZL182, the 2000 in the other direction is not yet showing, but FR24 has an updated departure of 2035.

Should make it the last ZL jet flight?

 

[antycbr]

Shades of the AN collapse where disgruntled employees blocked AirNZ jets from pushback with GSE.

Including the NZ PM, Helen Clark.

“An Air Force Orion has been sent to Australia to airlift Prime Minister Helen Clark to New Zealand after she was stranded at Melbourne Airport by angry Ansett workers.”

RNZAF to rescue Prime Minister - NZ Herald

Latest breaking news articles, photos, video, blogs, reviews, analysis, opinion and reader comment from New Zealand and around the World - NZ Herald

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[N860CR]

So if the taxpayer is on the hook to subsidise core regional ZL flying, does it include ports such as Dubbo or Coffs Harbour, which arguably is adequately served by QF?

The tax payer already subsidises ZLs flying. Realistically, on the only routes that are “critical” they are already taking from the public purse. You’d really have to wonder what more the government can (and should) do.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Hopefully the crew flying ZL489 to Adelaide have a hotel to go to...

Post automatically merged: Jul 30, 2024

The tax payer already subsidises ZLs flying. Realistically, on the only routes that are “critical” they are already taking from the public purse. You’d really have to wonder what more the government can (and should) do.

Feds should do nothing at all.

If the states have a problem with essential air service then I guess they can make whatever arrangements they like but I'm sure someone is waiting to jump in.

Hopefully this is all pretty short lived anyway and the 737s are the only victim of a surgical amputation instead of the whole corpse being tossed in a bag

 

[jakeseven7]

The tax payer already subsidises ZLs flying. Realistically, on the only routes that are “critical” they are already taking from the public purse. You’d really have to wonder what more the government can (and should) do.

I’m sure we will find out because the government is sure to bail Rex out again and continue to subsidise their regional ops.