Rex to launch Melbourne/Adelaide-Perth routes

[nonrev-jez]

There is already a media campaign?

Like I said… I haven’t received a single email from REX regarding this or any other sale. I’m sure if you asked most non FF they would be surprised that REX has jets!

If there is a media campaign it probably hasn’t been very effective.

 

[Harrison_133]

There is already a media campaign?

I wouldn't call Rex's PDF media releases that haven't changed all that much since 2004 a media campaign...

 

[nonrev-jez]

I wouldn't call Rex's PDF media releases that haven't changed all that much since 2004 a media campaign...

Agreed! They have the design aesthetic of a soviet era apartment building.

About as old and out of touch as REXs board.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think it's disgraceful behaviour by VA They arent doing this to benefit passengers, just penalise Rex.

If it was to benefit passengers they'd be pricing at $99 for all flights.

 

[Saab34]

I think it's disgraceful behaviour by VA They arent doing this to benefit passengers, just penalise Rex.

If it was to benefit passengers they'd be pricing at $99 for all flights.

Called competition. Protecting ones patch. Protecting market share also.

 

[p--and--t]

I think it's disgraceful behaviour by VA They arent doing this to benefit passengers, just penalise Rex.

If it was to benefit passengers they'd be pricing at $99 for all flights.

The exact behaviour that people queue up to criticise QFd to regional ports all the time.

I wonder if the chair of REX will come out with one of his usual tirades

 

[dajop]

(Quite bizarre that as a REX FF I've never received a single marketing email?)

This is something that's odd, unusual and from a shareholder point of view almost criminal.

We often criticise QF and VA for having the "work experience kids" in charge of the website. I was going to say the same about Rex, except in charge of marketing. But that's totally unfair to work experience kids.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Called competition. Protecting ones patch. Protecting market share also.

I thought about that. But I think this example is ‘un-Australian’. They haven’t lowered the price on all flights, only the exact matching ones. Not even the same flight 7 days a week.

The public doesn’t come away with this with lower fares every day, only the ones matching Rex.

I don’t think this passes the pub test of being fair - or healthy - completion, in any way.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Or hold off first in case there is an involuntary change

Thanks for this idea, changed my dates slightly and booked two trips, $99 each way is too good to ignore. Didn't think of this until you mentioned it so will leave the OG flights untouched until closer to the day.

 

[twinaisle]

I thought about that. But I think this example is ‘un-Australian’. They haven’t lowered the price on all flights, only the exact matching ones. Not even the same flight 7 days a week.

The public doesn’t come away with this with lower fares every day, only the ones matching Rex.

I don’t think this passes the pub test of being fair - or healthy - completion, in any way.

Last time I checked neither airlines were "Australian" owned

 

[jakeseven7]

I thought about that. But I think this example is ‘un-Australian’. They haven’t lowered the price on all flights, only the exact matching ones. Not even the same flight 7 days a week.

VA2 is a foreign controlled airline so I’m sure they don’t care they are doing something un-Australian

But I do understand your point. It is Friday afternoon!

 

[Harrison_133]

Well they're certainly singing a different tune over on Facebook...suddenly competition is good!

 

[RSVKanga]

I thought about that. But I think this example is ‘un-Australian’.

As people have mentioned before, both VA and Rex are not Australian airlines, they are foreign-owned airlines just operating within our economic zone and markets. Their job is nothing but to provide a semi-budget narrowbody service on Australian routes and take every dollar earned offshore to their owners in Singapore (Rex) and the United States (VA). And they will do anything to achieve that.

The public doesn’t come away with this with lower fares every day, only the ones matching Rex.

Isn’t that just business 101? There’s really not much room for morals here, in a free market that is the Australian domestic aviation industry. If you were talking about international aviation, which is not a free-for-all, then that would be a different story.

 

[AIRwin]

$99 sale Perth to/from Adelaide and Melbourne.

Fares back up to $199

 

[SeaWolf]

I feel like I've stepped into a parallel universe where people on AFF are bemoaning lower airfares and devastated that increased competition will mean they can afford to fly more.

 

[FishFood]

I feel like I've stepped into a parallel universe where people on AFF are bemoaning lower airfares and devastated that increased competition will mean they can afford to fly more.

I think that comment was unrepresentative, regarding the pub test I spoke to a number of people and they were all thrilled about flights between Perth and Melbourne for under $100. Just a pity the timing of the sale meant I couldn't take advantage of it

 

[dajop]

I feel like I've stepped into a parallel universe where people on AFF are bemoaning lower airfares and devastated that increased competition will mean they can afford to fly more.

I think they’re more worried that it in the not so long term the actions will drive Rex out the market and that the route will revert to the status quo (a duopoly with perhaps higher fares than could otherwise be the case).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think they’re more worried that it in the not so long term the actions will drive Rex out the market and that the route will revert to the status quo (a duopoly with perhaps higher fares than could otherwise be the case).

Exactly!

In many cases consumers benefit from competition. But there are times when we - as a whole - don’t.

It’s fine for retailers to cut their profit margins on imported goods and electronics. But when we’re giving our dairy farmers the raw prawn over the price of milk, that’s when it’s not really ‘ok’.

Sure, Rex has a lead-in fare of $99. VA’s response wasn’t to match it even daily, only on the select flights matching Rex’s schedule. That just felt a bit cynical.

 

[Must...Fly!]

REX should have been flying this route 18-30 months ago, they're late to the party and frankly as much as I welcome their entry no one should be surprised at the other carriers defending their position.

 

[AIRwin]

Fares back up to $199

Still cheaper than QF current sale fare of $299