Rex to fly between Australian capital cities

[MEL_Traveller]

I can't wait to hear from someone who flew on today's services.

Sure it was the first day of operations but from what I've heard/seen online; the onboard food was limited (excluding the cupcakes and bubbles), the wifi or streaming entertainment was non-existent and the aircraft cabin still featured economy X branding.

Rex claimed they would make an investment but it's clear it's been cost-cutting from the start. They then get grumpy when Qantas operates on their precious regional routes but have no problem launching budget fares on routes to ADL and OOL starting next month. Some of the SYD-OOL flights next month start at $240 (and that's on Jetstar) but here they come with a media embargoed release to drop thousands of fares for $80. If this is how they want to play then I'm all for Qantas dropping dirt-cheap fares on all of Rex's regional routes, at this stage they deserve what they get.

As long as they're operating within the law!

Maybe SYD-OOL only costs $80 to fly. Including profit. But dirt-cheap fares on regional routes may be loss making.

 

[Must...Fly!]

How long will REX actually last with 737s? Virgin surviving has created a serious problem for them (and investors) for which they seem to have no obvious answers.

 

[Mattg]

How long will REX actually last with 737s? Virgin surviving has created a serious problem for them (and investors) for which they seem to have no obvious answers.

I give it 12 months (which I think is when the aircraft lease costs go back to "normal" levels").

If/when they do fail, they'll no doubt put out an angry press release blaming Qantas, Virgin, the Australian government, the ACCC, airports and everything else except themselves and their own decisions.

 

[HS-TQE]

REX from what I read had a 'sweet heart' deal with the 737 leases, but I'm assuming once the 'discounted' lease rates are up, they'll have to start 'earning its keep' or pay the 'penalties' of ending the leases early if they're trying to find excuses to exit the domestic jet market.

 

[henrus]

Not my video but I found this and thought I'd share as many like myself seem curious on the offerings:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I give it 12 months (which I think is when the aircraft lease costs go back to "normal" levels").

If/when they do fail, they'll no doubt put out an angry press release blaming Qantas, Virgin, the Australian government, the ACCC, airports and everything else except themselves and their own decisions.

If we go by the historic AFF article on costs to fly aircraft, it put it at about $10,000 to fly a 737 MEL-SYD, requiring an average of $60 per seat. Plus additional revenue from freight.

Let’s say an 80% capacity and fares of around $79, we must be getting close to a break even?

 

[Saab34]

Do they offer a Virgin like BOB service?

Gold Coast is normally a big market for that sort of stuff.

One thing I do enjoy about Virgin is the ability to buy whatever I want on those longer runs.

 

[kermatu]

Paul Stewart has a trip report up on YouTube from the first flight today. Not sure if I can link it, but should be easy to find. Flight pretty standard by the look of it. In Y. He'll do a J flight report soon too.

 

[henrus]

Paul Stewart has a trip report up on YouTube from the first flight today. Not sure if I can link it, but should be easy to find. Flight pretty standard by the look of it. In Y. He'll do a J flight report soon too.

There the link:

Stefan Drury also posted a video and Paul appeared in it:

 

[Saab34]

Tonight’s flight still has not left Sydney yet. 90 minutes and counting.

 

[AIRwin]

Tonight’s flight still has not left Sydney yet. 90 minutes and counting.

Rextremely late!

 

[Virgin Bart]

I flew the first flight today at 0700. Was my third inaugural flight and it was a great day. Lots of speeches before the flight, free coffee and scones.

On board it's very much like flying VA, complete with purple divider.

Service took forever but perfectly understandable. Served was a choice of champagne, orange juice or mimosa. And a Rex cupcake. The only part of the standard offering was a cookie.

Before the flight they picked someone at random to upgrade to 1A.

On board three prizes were given away randomly:
1, Melbourne to King Island return flight for two with two nights accommodation
2, as above but to Adelaide
3, as arrive but to Gold Coast

Amazingly, the same person who was upgraded to 1A won another prize.

On decent there was a 5 minute or so history of Rex read out.

Also, lots of clapping. A hilarious amount of clapping. Heaps of media on board, too.

Finally, a gift bag for everyone with a book on the history of Rex, a decent Rex open, personalised certificate, a good metal drink bottle, this month's Rex magazine.

A great day.

 

[Saab34]

What sucks in these small fleet situations is when the flight is full and cancelled, and tomorrow’s minimal flights are also full, like Tiger did to me once, ‘Come back in 3 Days’

 

[Virgin Bart]

Photos from MEL SYD part 2

 

[Saab34]

Are you on tonight’s flight back? Cancelled?

 

[Virgin Bart]

Are you on tonight’s flight back? Cancelled?

Nah, all those photos are from the first flight, 0700 MEL SYD

 

[Mattg]

Are you on tonight’s flight back? Cancelled?

Looks like ZL161 arrived 2 hours late tonight. I wonder what the cause of the delay was.

 

[kermatu]

Video from J cabin, with brief shots of the food.

 

[Mattg]

Does anyone know what "Sic'em Rex" is supposed to mean?

 

[milehighclub]

Does anyone know what "Sic'em Rex" is supposed to mean?

Merriam Webster says:
1 : chase, attack —usually used as a command especially to a dog sic 'em.
2 : to incite or urge to an attack, pursuit, or harassment : set sicced their lawyers on me.

So, I'd say it means go get QF/VA/JQ.