Rex to fly between Australian capital cities

[milehighclub]

As widely expected, REX didn't change the interior much on the ex-VA leased 737s, only changing the branding.

At the very least they could have change the head rests in economy to the blue or orange in the branding (or a mixture of both). Would not surprise me if some people think it is a Virgin Australia flight operated by Rex.

 

[AIRwin]

But I noticed RQC has operated a number of domestic flights in the last few days?

Spotted RQC among its step siblings in SYD this morning...

 

[Chicken]

Spotted RQC among its step siblings in SYD this morning...View attachment 242035

Meow!

(Context here: cats only meow at human, don't meow at each other)

 

[henrus]

Spotted RQC among its step siblings in SYD this morning...

Seeing it sit there with a satellite dish on top makes me realise how much is yet to be announced/figured out.

- What will the onboard food/drinks be like (tea/coffee/water/juice? snack like Virgin and possibly the same as Virgin Business)?
- What will the inflight wifi be like, will they use the Optus satellites, and will it be free for non business class or a limited speed?
- They claim they have wireless IFE (most likely the same boardconnect system as VA) - what will this look like?
- What will the proposed frequent flyer program look like?
- Will Business class get priority boarding, baggage, checkin (some of this has been announced but yet to see it in action)?
- When will the lounges reopen?
- What happens if the one plane breaks down - will they rebook onto their competition?
- Rex routes (except QLD) currently use Qantas freight - will that agreement continue with the 737's?
- Will they change their disruption policy - even Jetstar offers hotel rooms if the last flight of the day is canceled?
- When will the dust settle and prices are set at their normal prices?

 

[dk4]

At the very least they could have change the head rests in economy to the blue or orange in the branding (or a mixture of both). Would not surprise me if some people think it is a Virgin Australia flight operated by Rex.

Like one of these dastardly things...

Looks like a Qantas jet on the outside, seats like the Jetstar A320 it really is, on the inside

 

[henrus]

Looks like a Qantas jet on the outside, seats like the Jetstar A320 it really is, on the inside

Now now... they removed the orange from the bulkheads, escape path lighting, and the seat numbers but charge 10 times the price. That's the sort of stuff that Rex could only dream about!

 

[N860CR]

At the very least they could have change the head rests in economy to the blue or orange in the branding (or a mixture of both). Would not surprise me if some people think it is a Virgin Australia flight operated by Rex.

I guess it makes it easier for the leasing company when they’re transferred back to virgin in a few months

 

[AIRwin]

1 week to the launch...

1 day more... to a Rex-volution?

 

[N860CR]

1 day more... to a Rex-volution?

Look to be two flights operating between Sydney and Melbourne on launch day. Must be filling up as the $49 fares have become $79. $49 is available on the second flight, and $49/$199 on each of the three flights on day 2.

I feel for the people who are going to be impacted if this doesn’t work out as they shouldn’t have to pay for the ego of a few executives... but I’m starting to see a lot of similarities to Ozjet.

 

[jakeseven7]

Look to be two flights operating between Sydney and Melbourne on launch day. Must be filling up as the $49 fares have become $79. $49 is available on the second flight, and $49/$199 on each of the three flights on day 2.

I feel for the people who are going to be impacted if this doesn’t work out as they shouldn’t have to pay for the ego of a few executives... but I’m starting to see a lot of similarities to Ozjet.

The only thing that will save this folly is if the state premiers remain calm (lol) and keep borders open to build more confidence. QLD have said in about 6 weeks they will not be shutting their borders again (hmmm really?) as by then the most vulnerable will be protected....

Meanwhile Rex should throw the 737s on some other routes I mean look at what QF is doing now on Syd/Byron! Sometimes up to 8 flights a day now and 737s on that route too amongst their Q400’s.

 

[henrus]

Meanehile Rex should throw the 737s on some other routes

Well the next three jet routes have been announced:

Melbourne to Adelaide, Melbourne to the Gold Coast, and Sydney to the Gold Coast.

 

[jakeseven7]

Well the next three jet routes have been announced:

Melbourne to Adelaide, Melbourne to the Gold Coast, and Sydney to the Gold Coast.

View attachment 242368

Terrible timing, they miss the March long weekend and miss Easter! They should try and pull the launch forward of these routes (especially the OOL ones).

VA2 will be breathing a sigh of relief...

 

[jase05]

2x daily ADL-MEL services from March 31st.
0600 and 1330 departures starting at $69 in Y and $299 in J

 

[jase05]

Terrible timing, they miss the March long weekend and miss Easter! They should try and pull the launch forward of these routes (especially the OOL ones).

VA2 will be breathing a sigh of relief...

ADL-MEL starts before Easter and school holidays so might get some business.
I think they might do ok on that route, not sure about others

 

[jakeseven7]

ADL-MEL starts before Easter and school holidays so might get some business.
I think they might do ok on that route, not sure about others

OOL is all leisure (JQ / VA2) and QF scoop up the premium leisure passengers.

Easter would have been perfect for those routes for Rex to give VA2 a little scare, but they will only pick up the returns with those launch dates!

 

[Peter78]

I'm on QF508 right now and when we were waiting to take off on 34R and after the First Officer had given his pre-departure 'speech', the Captain came on and addressed the 'aviation enthusiasts' to look right, with ZL18 (the first landing for a Rex 737) being imminent. He said there were three helicopters filming this, plus a water fountain as a traditional welcome and he finished by saying that 'we at Qantas wish our colleagues at Rex all the best for this new chapter'. He actually sounded sincere though a few people chuckled when the last statement was made.

 

[AIRwin]

Inaugural MEL-SYD flight ZL18 - nice to see double digit flight number back in the domestic skies...

 

[eastwest101]

Well the next three jet routes have been announced:

Melbourne to Adelaide, Melbourne to the Gold Coast, and Sydney to the Gold Coast.

View attachment 242368

Thats an interesting decision to go to serve OOL rather than BNE from SYD and MEL. Going to ADL was predicted by a few here upthread.

 

[Melburnian1]

Inaugural MEL-SYD flight ZL18 - nice to see double digit flight number back in the domestic skies...View attachment 242369

It's no portent for the competitors, but ZL18 took off at 0708 (schedulerd 0700 hours pushback on Monday 1 March), QF410 (also an 0700 hours) was up up and away at 0714 while VA811 pointed upwards at 0716 hours. JQ520, not an 0700 hours departure but an 0720 hours was cancelled.

I often wonder why ZL uses four digit flight numbers for its rural offerings. Harder to remember, complex and unnecessary.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thats an interesting decision to go to serve OOL rather than BNE from SYD and MEL. Going to ADL was predicted by a few here upthread.

Maybe ZL believes it can compete on price and secure much leisure traffic.

Won't one of its problems be that outside of rural residents in some (not all) states and savvy individuals like yourself, awareness of Rex in the suburbs of our biggest cities may be poor?