Rex to fly between Australian capital cities

[jakeseven7]

Give it a break with the comments about low pax loads guys - getting old!

It also defies the reality that it’s a new operation in its first weeks following lockdowns and border closures. There’s money in the kitty to ride this out - if they’re still low on 12 months that’s when they’ll need to ask some hard questions.

The way some of you carry on, you’d think the airline was borrowing your personal credit card to pay for fuel .

For what it’s worth, it was a busy flight with 150+ pax from memory. Loads busy heading north, not so much heading south.

That’s great news they have some passengers then.

 

[Platinum737]

That’s great news they have some passengers then.

Sure is - and good for everyone no matter who you prefer to fly if there’s more competition in the market.

 

[jakeseven7]

Sure is - and good for everyone no matter who you prefer to fly if there’s more competition in the market.

Totally. I hope Rexy manages to get some permanent Sydney slots off VA2 soon.

 

[Mattg]

FWIW, today's MEL-CBR flight seems to be fully booked in Y and 5/8 seats sold in J so far.

The VA flight at a similar time is also sold out, but QF is not. Given QF's fares, I suspect they are still making the most money though.

 

[AIRwin]

Given QF's fares, I suspect they are still making the most money though.

And smaller aircraft (lower cost?)

 

[Melburnian1]

Why? Doherty are charging us a fortune. It’s been a wonderful couple of years for them financially

And IIRC Doherty Institute issued at least one previous forecast - in 2020 - that was a mammoth overestimate.

Every time organisations like this are alarmist, it costs airlines like Rex hundreds of thousands of dollars in bookings, if not more. Like others I reckon there's decling, and low, community confidence in travelling interstate.

'Never waste a crisis' is the mantra of handsomely paid health officials, the media who love the extra viewers/readers/listeners and not forgetting a dishonourable mention to the vast majority of state politicians.

jb747's sentiments are 200pc correct about us getting on with life. What a pity someone like him can't operate every flight to CBR with pollies, staff, and officials on board and give them a 20 minute lecture about why we need to act rationally.

So many of us want to travel, which among other huge benefits creates jobs. My prayers are for the huge numbers in 'emerging economies' who've lost work as a result of the big downturn in international tourism. Unlike here, many lack social welfare to support them, although they have a different familial model to the smaller nuclear family many Caucasians have.

Rex could normally be expected to carry international visitors looking for cheap(er) fares but there aren't too many here, despite being allowed from a few nations such as Singapore.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL42 (B738 VH-RQC), the 1000 hours Christmas Day 2021 flight that took off on time at 1014 has eight J and 126 whY passengers, which while far better than many other ZL B738 flights is still far from full.

Earlier, ZL9, the 0700 hours southbound SYD - MEL had five in J and 109 in Y.

A recently initiated route, BNE - MEL, has ZL223 with two in J and just 24 in economy, a most unprofitable flight. But much longer established QFd with its QF613 (0815 hours ex BNE on the same route) had only 30 in whY so ZL is almost at QFd's numbers (although ZL's median fare would be lower).

 

[Mattg]

Remember that you can't read anything into the number of J seats occupied in the cabin as many are likely free upgrades.

 

[Saab34]

It seems like they have grounded some aircraft and 75% of flights for this month.

Jumping online certainly not many flight to pick from.

 

[jakeseven7]

Oh dear

I have my first flight with them for fun booked…. Will have to keep an eye on it…

 

[AIRwin]

Looks like QF has also dropped to $119 and JQ $65 (limited)...

Rex has extended the current sale another 2 weeks to 31 January 2022 (matched by QF)...

 

[Harrison_133]

Was just browsing for some flights and took a look at Rex’s site, seems like they have cut 737 capacity a fair bit until the end of Jan. All routes appear to be down to 1 flight per day (including MEL-SYD) and some days not operating at all. MEL-OOL looks to be the only route unscathed with 2 flights.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Was just browsing for some flights and took a look at Rex’s site, seems like they have cut 737 capacity a fair bit until the end of Jan. All routes appear to be down to 1 flight per day (including MEL-SYD) and some days not operating at all. MEL-OOL looks to be the only route unscathed with 2 flights.

I guess with the smallest crew pool they would be struggling

 

[Saab34]

I don’t think crew is the problem here

It’s clearly the no passengers. They had problems getting passenger demand prior to this variant, let alone a new variant squashing travel Demand.

The passenger they seem to be targeting doesn’t exist at the moment. I’m still not sure what the passenger actually is.

 

[Melburnian1]

I don’t think crew is the problem here

It’s clearly the no passengers. They had problems getting passenger demand prior to this variant, let alone a new variant squashing travel Demand.

The passenger they seem to be targeting doesn’t exist at the moment. I’m still not sure what the passenger actually is.

ZL42, 1000 hours MEL - SYD seems to have had 25 whY patrons this morning, along with 3 in J.

ZL658, the earlier 0830 MEL - OOL had 51 and two.

Zl669, the 1015 back from OOL to MEL had 92 whY and again, two in J.

ZL458 (1615 hours ADL across to MEL) was 50 in whY with all eight J seats occupied.

I don't know how many J seats occupied were 'upgrades' (or staff travelling 'passenger', as the railways call it) but it's clear ZL does way better on secondary routes and those with a high percentage of leisure travellers.

Before anyone crows too much about other airlines, according to friends who've recently travelled on QFd, heaps of its flights are half empty or worse. I don't know anyone who's travelled on VAd in recent times.

 

[jase05]

Before anyone crows too much about other airlines, according to friends who've recently travelled on QFd, heaps of its flights are half empty or worse. I don't know anyone who's travelled on VAd in recent times.

Had 3 VAd and 2 QFd in the last few days
VA flights all appeared about half to 3/4 full but bear in mind with all the cancellations many were being shunted on to those flights.
QF CNS-SYD on the A330 yesterday was probably 1/2 full in Y and 3/4 in J but QF SYD-ADL yesterday at a time that is normally pretty full had 5 of us in J and 30 tops in Y

 

[PineappleSkip]

Before anyone crows too much about other airlines, according to friends who've recently travelled on QFd, heaps of its flights are half empty or worse

Flew QF BNE-TSV-BNE in the last few days. Y about 60% full both ways and J nearly full.

However in both cases the flight before ours AND the flight after were cancelled. Rex's options are obviously much more limited in this regard.

Cheers skip

 

[Fortunatecrow]

I flew MEL to ADL yesterday with Rex, my first flight anywhere since July. The plane would not have been a quarter full. Staff at the gate said that planes to & from QLD were busy but not much else.

Rex will continue to be my first choice, even though I am QFF lifetime gold and so have lounge access. Their presence adds competition and I am sure it keeps VA prices lower, staff are friendlier, and ex-MEL, terminal 4 parking is way better than terminal 1/2 parking.

 

[Melburnian1]

I flew MEL to ADL yesterday with Rex, my first flight anywhere since July. The plane would not have been a quarter full. Staff at the gate said that planes to & from QLD were busy but not much else.

Rex will continue to be my first choice, even though I am QFF lifetime gold and so have lounge access. Their presence adds competition and I am sure it keeps VA prices lower, staff are friendlier, and ex-MEL, terminal 4 parking is way better than terminal 1/2 parking.

Maybe its biggest problem is that in urban areas like MEL and SYD, many who know nothing about rural Oz similarly don't consider ZL as they've never heard of it.

 

[Harrison_133]

Maybe its biggest problem is that in urban areas like MEL and SYD, many who know nothing about rural Oz similarly don't consider ZL as they've never heard of it.

Anecdotal I know, but many people I talk to still think of Rex as the little country airline that flies propeller planes to places like Dubbo or Burnie.

I think Rex Jet still needs to work out exactly who their customer is and get their name out there. They’re trying to be Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar all at once, but country hospitality alone isn’t going to fill those planes in a market well covered by the other three. The current covid situation also wouldn’t be helping them as the least established player.

I really want Rex to succeed. I agree with the poster above, their service is fantastic. I just hope the management aren’t taking the staff for a ride on some unsustainable pet project. Despite all of John Sharp’s talk about growth, I’m not sure their experiment is going swimmingly.