Rex to fly between Australian capital cities

[PineappleSkip]

Hoping they do the $299 J fares when they launch SYD-BNE. Not sure how they’d fit a lounge into BNE though, assuming they’d use the common carrier satellite (?) there.

Cash at airport would one-up QF perhaps? On my Rex bucket/wish list would be their joining *A sometime, that would make life interesting indeed.

mid range plain IGAs of which some are large, and the top shelf Supa IGAs that compete more with Woolies

This IGA branding always makes me laugh. I am between a large IGA in one town and a rather smaller and more miserable “supa” IGA in the other. The difference of course is Woolies in the other also.

cheers skip

 

[Mattg]

You'd think, but according to their fees and surcharges page: Fees and surcharges

* For cash payment at airport, no payment method surcharge is incurred.​

​

I guess you could also purchase through a travel agent who might not levy a CC surcharge... but that's a bit separate to advertising prices on the web.

I once tried paying by cash for a Rex flight at the airport, and was told they couldn't sell me the cheapest fare that was available online. I complained to the ACCC at the time but never did get a refund for the credit card surcharge when I eventually booked online.

 

[HS-TQE]

''Virgin Australia Economy X' to be rebranded 'Rextra' on the ex-VA leased 738s.

Pretty much a reupholster of the premium seats (plus replacing the purple persplex panel separating J and Y with either REX's blue or orange) and REX is pretty much almost ready to go.

Rex challenges Qantas, Virgin with $79 Sydney-Melbourne flights

With economy fares starting at $79 and business class from $299, Rex is taking Qantas and Virgin Australia head-on.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[dajop]

Rex's shares increased in value by 14% yesterday. (sector wide - Qantas down 4%, Air New Zealand up 1%, Alliance up 3%).

 

[doctau]

You'd think, but according to their fees and surcharges page: Fees and surcharges

* For cash payment at airport, no payment method surcharge is incurred.​

​

I guess you could also purchase through a travel agent who might not levy a CC surcharge... but that's a bit separate to advertising prices on the web.

My understanding is that you are supposed to disclose the minimum fees on the prior pages (even if it is buried at the bottom in tiny writing), but maybe they’d argue being able to pay at the airport let’s then avoid that. Some of the product like the SMS don’t make sense unless activated prior and I can’t see a way to book on hold and pay at the airport.

If you do want to use a TA, good news is that on Thursday night they started participating in Sabre fare branding so you can choose fare families via a TA more easily. Not sure if it’s ATPCo filed so extends to other GDS-using TAs.

 

[jakeseven7]

''Virgin Australia Economy X' to be rebranded 'Rextra' on the ex-VA leased 738s.

Pretty much a reupholster of the premium seats (plus replacing the purple persplex panel separating J and Y with either REX's blue or orange) and REX is pretty much almost ready to go.

Rex challenges Qantas, Virgin with $79 Sydney-Melbourne flights

With economy fares starting at $79 and business class from $299, Rex is taking Qantas and Virgin Australia head-on.

www.executivetraveller.com

So we wait to see the catering options but so far Bain/VA2 = Rex, the only thing missing from Rex is a decent FF offering.

 

[henrus]

I wonder how this launch is going...

They said the first 100,000 seats would sell for $79 and given they're still selling them for $79 then I'd assume they still haven't reached that target.

Likewise aside from the first few days of operations, almost all seat maps show fully open and yes I know not to judge booking based on seat selection but you'd hope at least one person would have selected their seat by now.

 

[dajop]

They're now promoting connecting fares as well. I wonder if, at a time when the competitors are offering free changes on all fare types (plus fare difference) they are doing themselves a disservice.

 

[henrus]

They're now promoting connecting fares as well. I wonder if, at a time when the competitors are offering free changes on all fare types (plus fare difference) they are doing themselves a disservice.

The "amazing" through fares are also a bit of a joke as the prices are literally just a combination of the two cheapest fares. I'll use Armidale to Melbourne (via SYD) as the example only because it's first on the list:

Armidale to Melbourne - $197.25
Armidale to Sydney - $118.25
Sydney to Melbourne - $79

$197.25 - $118.25 = $79 which also happens to be the cost of the SYD-MEL flight.

I get they're copying Qantas which does the same with pricing on regional routes but if they're really trying to drum up business they should be discounting the through-fare to encourage bookings connecting to/from their 737 flights.

Another big problem is the way they're filing their fares. On most online booking sites they seem to be displaying the saver fare instead of the promo which makes a big difference as both Virgin and Qantas are showing cheaper fares.

Just look at expedia, flight centre etc and you'll see the rex flights often show at the bottom because they're the "most" expensive. Given many may have never heard of rex, there is a good chance that people won't go searching directly on their website so it's crucial that booking sites show the right price something which isn't happening right now.

 

[eastwest101]

The "amazing" through fares are also a bit of a joke as the prices are literally just a combination of the two cheapest fares. I'll use Armidale to Melbourne (via SYD) as the example only because it's first on the list:

Armidale to Melbourne - $197.25
Armidale to Sydney - $118.25
Sydney to Melbourne - $79

$197.25 - $118.25 = $79 which also happens to be the cost of the SYD-MEL flight.

I get they're copying Qantas which does the same with pricing on regional routes but if they're really trying to drum up business they should be discounting the through-fare to encourage bookings connecting to/from their 737 flights.

Another big problem is the way they're filing their fares. On most online booking sites they seem to be displaying the saver fare instead of the promo which makes a big difference as both Virgin and Qantas are showing cheaper fares.

Just look at expedia, flight centre etc and you'll see the rex flights often show at the bottom because they're the "most" expensive. Given many may have never heard of rex, there is a good chance that people won't go searching directly on their website so it's crucial that booking sites show the right price something which isn't happening right now.

Another good reason not to use Expedia or Flight Centre, google flights can seem to handle it OK so why would you even bother using Expedia or Flight Centre? Not to mention that google flights have a better executed grid view by month and price graphing/notification.

 

[AIRwin]

Another good reason not to use Expedia or Flight Centre, google flights can seem to handle it OK so why would you even bother using Expedia or Flight Centre? Not to mention that google flights have a better executed grid view by month and price graphing/notification.

View attachment 235840

But google doesn't seem to show the promo fare of $197.25?

 

[dk4]

Putting a REX among the pigeons...

 

[henrus]

google flights can seem to handle it OK so why would you even bother using Expedia or Flight Centre?

Nope Google flights is also incorrect not showing the promo fares as well.

Whilst most people don't bother booking through expedia, flight centre, webjet etc there are some that do. Many others also use those sites to compare prices and as rex is new to the route, being the more expensive will discourage people from actually visiting the rex website.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Maybe once Rex’s Frequent flyer program takes off things improve demand-wise.

But sale fares not selling out is a problem

 

[MEL_Traveller]

... so why would you even bother using Expedia or Flight Centre?

Agree. Expedia and Flight Centre don't add enough fees and charges to make it feel like I'm getting a secure booking and being looked after. This is where other companies come to the fore... a $21 'fare lock guarantee' means I am protected if the fare increases between when I press 'pay' and when the ticket is issued, a few seconds later. And booking fees really give me peace of mind that a real person is making the booking and handling it with my circumstances in mind.*


*some parts of the above may not be true.

 

[henrus]

Maybe once Rex’s Frequent flyer program takes off things improve demand-wise.

For a while, it'll be about 3 routes (SYD-MEL, SYD-BNE, BNE-MEL).

Most people earn Velocity or Qantas points to travel on holidays (often long haul) so unless it's great value with lots of ways to earn/redeem then I can't see many people making the switch. Besides Qantas has got Woolworths and Virgin's got Coles, where does this leave REX IGA or Aldi?

Agree. Expedia and Flight Centre don't add enough fees and charges to make it feel like I'm getting a secure booking and being looked after.

I think everyone is missing my point. I'll often search google flights and sometimes Webjet/Expedia before booking and if it's showing (incorrectly) that REX is more expensive than Virgin/Qantas then most people aren't going to even bother looking any further or even consider REX as an option.

The other big thing that people are missing is that Flight Centre still has corporate contracts through FCM travel with many companies opting for a best fare of the day policy (however most exclude Jetstar). Again despite REX in theory having cheaper fares directly on their site, as the travel agents are seeing more expensive fares REX is less likely to be booked under any travel policy.

 

[dajop]

Likewise aside from the first few days of operations, almost all seat maps show fully open and yes I know not to judge booking based on seat selection but you'd hope at least one person would have selected their seat by now.

I think part of the trouble is people simply aren't committing to travel until the last minute, given the uncertainty over the last 10 months, with border closures, restrictions etc. and particularly so for a business route like SYD/MEL

I just picked one random flight at the exact same time on same day (7am) - ZL had no seats allocated, QF had no seats allocated, VA had 1 J seat allocated, and Row 6 unavailable for selection and JQ had three rows where the whole row was unavailable to choose - two of these last two rows and the other row 9 - didn't look like they were even available to allocated. Selling prices - ZL $79, QF $109, VA $165, JQ $45

Still a long way to go yet.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think everyone is missing my point. I'll often search google flights and sometimes Webjet/Expedia before booking and if it's showing (incorrectly) that REX is more expensive than Virgin/Qantas then most people aren't going to even bother looking any further or even consider REX as an option.

The other big thing that people are missing is that Flight Centre still has corporate contracts through FCM travel with many companies opting for a best fare of the day policy (however most exclude Jetstar). Again despite REX in theory having cheaper fares directly on their site, as the travel agents are seeing more expensive fares REX is less likely to be booked under any travel policy.

No no! You made good points. Maybe Rex isn't aware of the issue? It would be a shame if they are missing out because of this. Why not drop them a line?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Just wondering if Rex is not paying commission on the cheapest fares and the TA websites aren't offering them.

Most people earn Velocity or Qantas points to travel on holidays

I am constantly impressed with the number of BPs I see with no frequent flyer info on them.

cheers skip

 

[Mattg]

Just wondering if Rex is not paying commission on the cheapest fares and the TA websites aren't offering them.

I could be wrong, but I believe most Australian airlines pay no commission on domestic tickets anyway.

(A travel agent can probably confirm or deny - @madrooster perhaps?)