Rex to fly between Australian capital cities

[henrus]

Never a good day when Rex makes it into the AFR... As the article points out, the airline is blaming the poor performance on the Melbourne outbreak and state border restrictions.

What the article fails to point out is what people on this thread have been talking about for months. For some reason SYD-MEL (before COVID lockdowns) was very busy on Virgin and reasonably busy on Qantas, Rex on the other hand...

It'll be interesting to see what the end of year results actually look like but given it's likely to be a loss I think Rex (and even the reporters) need to step back and ask why that's the case.

 

[HS-TQE]

You think every shareholder in every company thinks of the long term future? Of course not, there’s day trading and lots of strategy’s .
Quite simply, anyone who invests in a company does so to make a profit. Private equity, shareholders, loans etc etc.

Putting their overall dismal overall investment records aside, now why didn't anyone tell Singapore Airlines or Etihad Airways that?

Branson on the other hand is debatable considering his minority stake was still raking in license fees up to the day that 'Scuz' with the backing of the board sent VA 1.0 into administration.

 

[AIRwin]

For some reason SYD-MEL (before COVID lockdowns) was very busy on Virgin and reasonably busy on Qantas, Rex on the other hand...

More people trying to use up their credits on VA and QF from previously cancelled bookings?

 

[ross11]

More people trying to use up their credits on VA and QF from previously cancelled bookings?

I reckon this comment deserves more credit (pardon the pun) than some of the other arguments as to why ZL's load factors are dismal on this route.

 

[henrus]

I reckon this comment deserves more credit (pardon the pun) than some of the other arguments as to why ZL's load factors are dismal on this route.

Whilst it's possible on some flights I don't 100% agree... Virgin has a separate fare category 'U' class that is not linked to other fare availability but is just there as a measure to limit the number of people using future flight credits.

On recent Sydney-Melbourne flights (before lockdown), there was wide open U fare availability (which hasn't been the case on other routes). This indicates that either VA is releasing a lot of U space or people are actually booking these flights with cash.

 

[henrus]

Anyone else having problems accessing rex.com.au?

 

[AIRwin]

View attachment 250176

Anyone else having problems accessing rex.com.au?

It's working for me... Did you make any disparaging comments on them?

 

[kaceybutler]

View attachment 250176

Anyone else having problems accessing rex.com.au?

Not working for me either

 

[AIRwin]

Rex has announced the acquisition of a Boeing 737 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) which will continue to be housed at and maintained by Ansett Aviation Training BNE before it is co-located with the SAAB 340 FFS at the new Rex’s Simulator Centre in SYD...

 

[Mattg]

Rex's MEL-CBR launch has been pushed back to 18 June (was 10 June) due to the lockdown in Melbourne.

Seems fair enough.

CBR-MEL launch now pushed back until at least 24 June...

 

[Formal Hall]

'Line busy' whenever I try to call Rex today - imagine latest restrictions on travel to SYD. Anyone know the turnaround time on COVID related refunds requested via their online form? Have a flight with them tomorrow - imagine I only need to lodge the refund request the day before departure even if they don't get to it until after departure.

 

[Fortunatecrow]

I called at 8am on Monday, was on hold for about 20m but got through. No idea about turnaround times for forms though

 

[henrus]

'Line busy' whenever I try to call Rex today - imagine latest restrictions on travel to SYD. Anyone know the turnaround time on COVID related refunds requested via their online form? Have a flight with them tomorrow - imagine I only need to lodge the refund request the day before departure even if they don't get to it until after departure.

This seems to be a common theme looking at their facebook. From memory others who've had similar problems in the past used the form and were able to get it resolved reasonably quickly.

There were a lot more posts with people's experiences during the latest MEL lockdown but it seems many have been deleted.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 25 June 2021, ZL018 (0700 hours MEL - SYD) appeared to have had 29 in whY (if EF is accurate) while the 0830 hours newbie ZL608 MEL - CBR had 56 in whY.

The cheapest ZL single fare from Melbourne to the national capital is $69 compared to $39 to SYD, so at least ZL makes a little coin to cover some costs on the Canberra route.

Sydney numbers will be badly affected by the week long lockdown. Collectively QFd, VAd 2.0 and ZL will lose millions of dollars. While this Sydney lockdown is minscule compared to the damage done by the Victorian "government", it's another nail in the coffin for the community's willingness to travel, especially if it involves crossing a state or territory border.

 

[jakeseven7]

On Friday 25 June 2021, ZL018 (0700 hours MEL - SYD) appeared to have had 29 in whY (if EF is accurate) while the 0830 hours newbie ZL608 MEL - CBR had 56 in whY.

The cheapest ZL single fare from Melbourne to the national capital is $69 compared to $39 to SYD, so at least ZL makes a little coin to cover some costs on the Canberra route.

Sydney numbers will be badly affected by the week long lockdown. Collectively QFd, VAd 2.0 and ZL will lose millions of dollars. While this Sydney lockdown is minscule compared to the damage done by the Victorian "government", it's another nail in the coffin for the community's willingness to travel, especially if it involves crossing a state or territory border.

There are rumours Bain has had in inject some more cash into VA2, but a little off topic will post in the financial thread. I’m sure no one saw all this going on for so long...

 

[Melburnian1]

There are rumours Bain has had in inject some more cash into VA2, but a little off topic will post in the financial thread. I’m sure no one saw all this going on for so long...

It's impossible for the four major airlines (three if one regards QFd/JQd as 'one') to make money should SYD or MEL areas have lockdowns.

Even more concerning for allied sectors like hotels is how these measures teach us to be risk-averse.

Has the overall number of deaths in Oz risen in 2021 thus far compared to 2019 or 2018? I'd suggest 'no', even among those in their mid-70s and above, many years older than most of us, yet the sensationalist media keeps concentrating on 'cases' and thus almost totally scares the population.

 

[Carrots]

The cheapest ZL single fare from Melbourne to the national capital is $69 compared to $39 to SYD, so at least ZL makes a little coin to cover some costs on the Canberra route.

Somebody better call the ACCC... seems like Rex is price gouging on the MEL - CBR route

 

[dajop]

The cheapest ZL single fare from Melbourne to the national capital is $69 compared to $39 to SYD, so at least ZL the Snow Family makes a little coin to cover some costs from them operating on the Canberra route.

Corrected that for you.

The base fare for the $69 fare MEL-CBR is $14.50 and for the $39 fare on MEL-SYD is $9.60. Not a big difference really. The CBR route has an extra $22 in airport taxes/surcharge (and an extra $2.70 GST).

 

[henrus]

I wonder how many Rex jet flights have actually made money. Perhaps a few of the first MEL-SYD, maybe some ADL services, and a handful of holidays OOL services... but it can't be many.

 

[Melburnian1]

I wonder how many Rex jet flights have actually made money. Perhaps a few of the first MEL-SYD, maybe some ADL services, and a handful of holidays OOL services... but it can't be many.

ZL through The Hon John Sharp is on the public record suggesting that MEL-ADL/OOL have been its best patronised routes.

That's borne out by occasional EF searches. MEL-SYD has been disastrous, although QFd is also operating some near-empty or poorly patronised flights on that major sector, probably trying to drive the corporate knife into ZL.