Rex in voluntary administration, ending all 737 services

[RooFlyer]

I know I'm calling this early but, what a disappointment. There was no point to the narrative?

I was going to post exactly the same. All over the place - a whiff of a scandal here and nasty person there but absolutely no conclusions or point really. Ran out of material so now rambling about Bonzer and Koala, Ansett and anything else they can point a camera at.

The good thing is, we saw a lovely collection of Qantas Boeing 747s milling around various airports .

 

[Rabs97]

I thought there were several probing questions asked of Lim and Sharp. Both would have only agreed to the interviews if the question list would be vetted by them first. Their performances were fairly poor.

At best their performance should ensure they are kept well away from running an airline ever again.

 

[Saab34]

It’s often hard to get the big heads in front of any camera answering tough questions. I recall Alan Joyce had the same rules when 4 Corners, 7.30 etc tried interviewing him in the past. Very tight restrictions on what could be asked by his PR team. He barely did any live interviews. So they turned up as press conferences and asked the questions, then got kicked out of them.

 

[jakeseven7]

I know I'm calling this early but, what a disappointment. There was no point to the narrative?

- had it on in background didn’t even deserve 20% of my attention. Garbage.

 

[justinbrett]

I thought the most interesting comment was from the old DJ CEO that they deliberately sought to cause either AN or QF to collapse.

Seems like even back then they knew we’d remain a duopoly one way or another.

 

[p--and--t]

I thought the most interesting comment was from the old DJ CEO that they deliberately sought to cause either AN or QF to collapse.

Seems like even back then they knew we’d remain a duopoly one way or another.

I found it incredulous that the Rex management thought that a share of the golden triangle was theirs for the taking, they didn't need to advertise because it was so easy/people would queue up for their seats and that is was totally unfair that the existing players reacted to protect their market share. What planet were they living on

 

[moa999]

they deliberately sought to cause either AN or QF to collapse

Albeit it took 9/11 for one of them to fall.
And reportedly Virgin Blue was only days away itself if Ansett hadn't gone first.
Ultimately just took another 20 years.

 

[justinbrett]

Albeit it took 9/11 for one of them to fall.
And reportedly Virgin Blue was only days away itself if Ansett hadn't gone first.
Ultimately just took another 20 years.

Well not really. 9/11 was effectively on the 12th in Australia (it was early morning before the full extent of the attacks were known). NZ placed AN into admin that same day (2am according to this source) after failing to get rescue loans from the Australian and NZ governments.

So it’s pretty safe to say it was a coincidence and they were unrelated events.

But yes I remember reading VA was only a few weeks from collapse.

 

[Harrison_133]

Paywalled article in The Australian:

Jayne Hrdlicka is quoted saying that Virgin still remains committed to supporting Rex "whoever the owner of the business is on the other side." This would be through "commercial and marketing support" and not Virgin taking over the regional business itself.

The article also confirmed through Managing Director Scott McMillan that Alliance Airlines are "definitely not" interested in acquiring "any part" of the Rex business.

 

[Saab34]

Brisbane-based Alliance Aviation, which was previously the target of a takeover by Qantas, said it was definitely not in the running for Rex.

Managing director Scott McMillan said they were not interested in “any part” of the Rex business, which encompassed charter operation Pel-Air, a flight training academy and the regional airline.

Bit more from the Oz, so essentially Zilch!

Some want to help but nobody wants the takeover side. Will be interesting to see what the Government does here.

 

[HS-TQE]

VH-PAG (ex VUV) has fliled for MEL to NAN, its likely destination possibly MZJ for storage
A mid-life ex-VA, it was also predicted to go to CGK to return to VA, but that seems to be no longer the case.

VH-PAG Flight Tracking and History - FlightAware

Track VH-PAG flight from Daniel K Inouye Intl to Pinal Airpark

www.flightaware.com

 

[HS-TQE]

VH-PAG got diverted to BNE just before Lord Howe Island.

VH-PAG Flight Tracking and History - FlightAware

Track VH-PAG flight from Daniel K Inouye Intl to Pinal Airpark

www.flightaware.com

 

[henrus]

Rex 737 wanted to visit Australia one last time?

 

[dajop]

Well not really. 9/11 was effectively on the 12th in Australia (it was early morning before the full extent of the attacks were known). NZ placed AN into admin that same day (2am according to this source) after failing to get rescue loans from the Australian and NZ governments.

So it’s pretty safe to say it was a coincidence and they were unrelated events.

But yes I remember reading VA was only a few weeks from collapse.

This timing does not match with my recollection, indeed the article you linked it was noted was first published on Sept 15 2001, referring to “yesterday at 2am” (i.ez Sep 14) Which accords with my recollection and flight records. I took AN (ZL) flight on evening of Sep 13 SYD-GFF, and my partner who worked in AN management at the time, suggested I return my hire car to WGA and book QF out of WGA the next evening to return to MEL rather than rely on ZL/AN as the gossip was they would no longer be flying by then.

As such whilst there wasn’t a direct cause and effect with the AN collapse, there was certainly a feeling that there was zero interest in anyone coming to the rescue of any airlines - and banks had no interest in supporting ongoing credit - due to the events 2 days earlier.

Whether it would have made any difference had 9/11 not happened (and likely it might not have made any difference), obviously no one will ever know.

 

[justinbrett]

This timing does not match with my recollection, indeed the article you linked it was noted was first published on Sept 15 2001, referring to “yesterday at 2am” (i.ez Sep 14) Which accords with my recollection and flight records. I took AN (ZL) flight on evening of Sep 13 SYD-GFF, and my partner who worked in AN management at the time, suggested I return my hire car to WGA and book QF out of WGA the next evening to return to MEL rather than rely on ZL/AN as the gossip was they would no longer be flying by then.

As such whilst there wasn’t a direct cause and effect with the AN collapse, there was certainly a feeling that there was zero interest in anyone coming to the rescue of any airlines - and banks had no interest in supporting ongoing credit - due to the events 2 days earlier.

Whether it would have made any difference had 9/11 not happened (and likely it might not have made any difference), obviously no one will ever know.

Another source with Sep 12:

From the archives: The Ansett collapse

This story from the Australian Aviation archives is from September 2011, when Geoffrey Thomas wrote about the collapse of Ansett Australia.

australianaviation.com.au

They did not cease flying immediately.

Oh, and even an AFF thread confirming my date:

September 12-14 2001 - when Ansett came crashing down

The sept 11 anniversary will be doubly poignant for many AFFers. September 11 events we all know about. September 12 2001, Ansett filed for voluntary administration. September 13 2001, the in flight caterers pulled the plug and it was their last day in the Air. A crazy day. My last flight was...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[nonrev-jez]

Administrators are now looking to sell off the head office building in Mascot, along with the buildings and land in Wagga Wagga.

Seems they might be desperate for cash to keep the lights on.

 

[dajop]

Administrators are now looking to sell off the head office building in Mascot, along with the buildings and land in Wagga Wagga.

Seems they might be desperate for cash to keep the lights on.

Isn't that what struggling companies do, usually well before they call in an Administrator? Particularly Mascot, I would have thought these are relatively easy wins for the Administrator.

 

[HS-TQE]

VH-RQP and VH-REX reportedly due back on the East Coast for VA in November.

I remember a few years ago some of the usual suspects were having a laugh at the then VH-BZG (aka Godfrey's Jet) going to REX (and re-reg'd as RQP).

The irony a few years later when a 737 jet plane registered VH-REX (originally VUU) going to Virgin after REX goes into administration.

 

[Saab34]

The third not taken up aircraft must be in a poor state if it’s heading for the desert, must need major work, not to say that it won’t appear later on though, seems like light engineering work can be done fairly quick, but any major works would be a long wait.

 

[HS-TQE]

Not many survive life once they land in MZJ, but considering the mid-life aircraft that was NTU'ed, the queue time for maintenance in the desert (if that is the case) I would think would be very long. Especially when major maintenance could be done elsewhere if VA were that desperate for that specific (PAG) aircraft.