| |||||||
Founded | 2002 (amalgamation) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commenced operations | August 2002 | ||||||
Operating bases | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | Rex Flyer | ||||||
Fleet size | 67 | ||||||
Destinations | 56 [1] | ||||||
Parent company | Regional Express Holdings | ||||||
Headquarters | Mascot, Sydney, Australia | ||||||
Key people |
| ||||||
Employees | 1,089 (2020) [2] | ||||||
Website |
www |
Rex Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian regional airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional and domestic services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group's companies and serves all 6 states across Australia. It is the primary subsidiary of Regional Express Holdings.
The airline was established in 2002 when the Australiawide Airlines consortium (set up by former Ansett Australia employees) acquired Hazelton Airlines and Kendell Airlines, before merging the companies and starting operations as Rex in August 2002. [3] In 2005, Australiawide Airlines was renamed Regional Express Holdings and partially floated on the Australian Securities Exchange. [4] On 30 November 2005, Rex announced the acquisition of the Dubbo-based Air Link, another regional airline. [5]
In October 2007, Rex expanded into Queensland when it commenced operations between Brisbane and Maryborough. [6] This exacerbated an existing problem within the company of not having enough pilots to crew its flights (due to the expansion of larger airlines, especially Jetstar and Virgin Blue), [7] [8] and Rex suspended operations out of Brisbane [9] (and from Sydney to Cooma during the summer "low season" for this route to the NSW ski fields) [10] in November 2007. To provide a medium-term solution to the pilot shortage, Rex announced that it was establishing a cadet-pilot flight-training programme. [11]
In November 2015, Rex announced the resumption of services to the NSW Snowy Mountains in conjunction with Snowy Mountains Airport Corporation, with the flights resuming in March 2016. [12] In December 2015, Rex announced that it would be commencing operations in Western Australia in February the following year after being selected by the Government of Western Australia to be the operator of regulated RPT routes after a tender process. Initially operating between Perth to Albany and Esperance, in July 2018 the Western Australian operations expanded to include Carnarvon and Monkey Mia. It brought Rex's weekly flights to roughly 1,500 across 60 destinations. [13]
Starting on 6 April 2020, Rex significantly scaled back all its regional services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to only offer Government subsidised services within Queensland and Western Australia and one flight a week between all 54 regional and remote communities within its route network. Services including Adelaide to Port Augusta, Sydney to Newcastle and Sydney to Armidale were suspended. [14]
In June 2020, eyeing the demise of Tigerair Australia, Rex announced interest in expanding into the domestic airline market between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Rex leased six Boeing 737-800s previously leased by Virgin Australia to operate the new services, with the first delivered in November 2020. [15] [16] The first jet operations began on 1 March 2021 on the Melbourne to Sydney route. [17] Also in June 2020, Rex announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with ATR to explore options for replacing the Saab 340 fleet with ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft. [18] Following the airline's launch of jet services in March 2021, Rex replaced the announced Brisbane jet services in early April with services to Adelaide and Gold Coast, with the start of services occurring between 29 March and 1 April. [19]
Company type | Public company |
---|---|
ASX: REX | |
Industry | Air travel |
Founded | 2002 |
Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
Key people | Lim Kim Hai, Chairman John Sharp, Deputy chairman Jim Davis, managing director |
Products | Airlines, air cargo, air charter |
Revenue | A$321.8 million (2020) [20] |
– A$19.397 million (2020) | |
Number of employees | 1,089 (2020) [2] |
Website |
www |
Regional Express Holdings Limited is the parent company of a number of airline and associated companies in Australia. It is based in Mascot, New South Wales (a suburb of Sydney) and is a public listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange. Regional Express Holdings arose from the 2001 collapse of Ansett Airlines, which was the parent company of Kendell Airlines and Hazelton Airlines. A group of Singaporean investors and a collection of Australian private investors purchased the Hazelton and Kendell businesses, which were profitable entities before they were taken over by Ansett. The investors formed Australiawide Airlines, which was officially incorporated on 12 February 2002. The assets of the two airlines were purchased by Australiawide and merged to form the airline Regional Express, known as Rex. In 2005 Australiawide offered a percentage of the owners' shares (35 million out of 115 million shares, or 30.43%) to the public in a float. [21] [22] At the same time an agreement was reached with the owners of Pel-Air that Australiawide would purchase Pel-Air. [23]
As part of the public float process, Australiawide Airlines' name was changed to Regional Express Holdings. Regional Express Holdings is the owner of a number of other companies. [24] The main asset is Regional Express Pty. Ltd. which is the company that operates the business of the airline Regional Express (Rex) and owns Rex Airlines Pty Limited. Rex Airlines Pty Limited was registered on the 6 July 2020 as part of Rex domestic expansion plans, responsible for issuing tickets on behalf of Regional Express Pty Limited. Another company is Air Partners Pty. Ltd., which is the company that owns National Jet Express and Pel-Air and Rex Flyer. The third subsidiary company is Rex Investment Holdings Pty. Ltd., which owns the Australian Aero Propeller Maintenance and Australian Airline Pilot Academies based in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.
Rex Airlines initially offered regional flights from various bases across Australia using turboprop aircraft, but in March 2021 began flying between its bases using jet aircraft with flights between Melbourne and Sydney. Their current domestic flights consist of destinations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Hobart. [25]
Rex Airlines operates to the following destinations [26] as of August 2023 [update]:
As of January 2024 [update], Rex Airlines operates the following aircraft: [32]
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers |
Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J | Y | Total
| ||||
Boeing 737-800 | 9 | 2 [33] | 8 | 162 | 170 | |
168 | 176 | |||||
Saab 340 | 57 | — | — | 30 | 30 | |
33 | 33 | |||||
34 | 34 | |||||
36 | 36 | |||||
Total | 66 | 2 |
Rex Airlines has previously operated the following aircraft:
Rex operates the world's largest fleet of Saab 340 aircraft. [34] The delivery of 25 ex- American Eagle Airlines Saab 340B Plus aircraft started in mid-2007 and enabled the expansion of services and the phase-out of the airline's Saab 340As, and some older B models. The 340B Plus has a quieter and more comfortable interior.
In July 2008 the company announced that all of its 340As would be phased out; however one rejoined the fleet in July 2015 after a 7-year stint with Rex's subsidiary airline Pel-Air and remains in service as of January 2020. [35] [36] [37]
The airline also previously operated some Fairchild Metro 23 aircraft seating 19 passengers, but the aircraft were later phased out.
The airline operated an all-Saab 340 fleet with three variants of the type until December of 2020, [37] when the airline commenced jet aircraft operations following the delivery of its first Boeing 737-800.
In November 2007, Regional Express Airlines and Mangalore Airport Pty Limited created a joint venture pilot academy called the Civil Aviation Training Academy, based at Mangalore Airport in Victoria. [41] In April 2008, Regional Express Airlines fully acquired the Civil Aviation Training Academy and it was renamed to Australian Airline Pilot Academy. [42]
On 18 February 2009, Regional Express Airlines announced that the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) would be relocated from Mangalore Airport to Wagga Wagga Airport in partnership with the City of Wagga Wagga starting in April 2009. [43] [44]
On 27 May 2010, the AAPA campus at Wagga Wagga Airport was officially opened by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese. [45]
On 19 November 2019, AAPA purchased ST Aerospace Academy Australia at Ballarat Airport in Victoria, taking it over as a second campus. [46]
In addition to training aircraft, the flight school has five flight simulators, including a full motion Saab 340 simulator. There is also one retired Saab 340B at Wagga Wagga used as a training aid.
As of December 2021 [update], the Australian Airline Pilot Academy operates the following aircraft: [47]
Aircraft | In service |
Location |
---|---|---|
Cessna 152 | 1 | Ballarat |
Cessna 172S | 14 | Ballarat |
Piper PA-28 Warrior | 16 | Wagga Wagga |
Piper PA-44 Seminole | 10 | Ballarat and Wagga Wagga |
Beechcraft King Air C90GTi | 1 | Ballarat |
Beechcraft Super King Air B200 | 1 | Wagga Wagga |
{{
cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
Media related to Rex Airlines at Wikimedia Commons
| |||||||
Founded | 2002 (amalgamation) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commenced operations | August 2002 | ||||||
Operating bases | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | Rex Flyer | ||||||
Fleet size | 67 | ||||||
Destinations | 56 [1] | ||||||
Parent company | Regional Express Holdings | ||||||
Headquarters | Mascot, Sydney, Australia | ||||||
Key people |
| ||||||
Employees | 1,089 (2020) [2] | ||||||
Website |
www |
Rex Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian regional airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional and domestic services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group's companies and serves all 6 states across Australia. It is the primary subsidiary of Regional Express Holdings.
The airline was established in 2002 when the Australiawide Airlines consortium (set up by former Ansett Australia employees) acquired Hazelton Airlines and Kendell Airlines, before merging the companies and starting operations as Rex in August 2002. [3] In 2005, Australiawide Airlines was renamed Regional Express Holdings and partially floated on the Australian Securities Exchange. [4] On 30 November 2005, Rex announced the acquisition of the Dubbo-based Air Link, another regional airline. [5]
In October 2007, Rex expanded into Queensland when it commenced operations between Brisbane and Maryborough. [6] This exacerbated an existing problem within the company of not having enough pilots to crew its flights (due to the expansion of larger airlines, especially Jetstar and Virgin Blue), [7] [8] and Rex suspended operations out of Brisbane [9] (and from Sydney to Cooma during the summer "low season" for this route to the NSW ski fields) [10] in November 2007. To provide a medium-term solution to the pilot shortage, Rex announced that it was establishing a cadet-pilot flight-training programme. [11]
In November 2015, Rex announced the resumption of services to the NSW Snowy Mountains in conjunction with Snowy Mountains Airport Corporation, with the flights resuming in March 2016. [12] In December 2015, Rex announced that it would be commencing operations in Western Australia in February the following year after being selected by the Government of Western Australia to be the operator of regulated RPT routes after a tender process. Initially operating between Perth to Albany and Esperance, in July 2018 the Western Australian operations expanded to include Carnarvon and Monkey Mia. It brought Rex's weekly flights to roughly 1,500 across 60 destinations. [13]
Starting on 6 April 2020, Rex significantly scaled back all its regional services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to only offer Government subsidised services within Queensland and Western Australia and one flight a week between all 54 regional and remote communities within its route network. Services including Adelaide to Port Augusta, Sydney to Newcastle and Sydney to Armidale were suspended. [14]
In June 2020, eyeing the demise of Tigerair Australia, Rex announced interest in expanding into the domestic airline market between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Rex leased six Boeing 737-800s previously leased by Virgin Australia to operate the new services, with the first delivered in November 2020. [15] [16] The first jet operations began on 1 March 2021 on the Melbourne to Sydney route. [17] Also in June 2020, Rex announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with ATR to explore options for replacing the Saab 340 fleet with ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft. [18] Following the airline's launch of jet services in March 2021, Rex replaced the announced Brisbane jet services in early April with services to Adelaide and Gold Coast, with the start of services occurring between 29 March and 1 April. [19]
Company type | Public company |
---|---|
ASX: REX | |
Industry | Air travel |
Founded | 2002 |
Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
Key people | Lim Kim Hai, Chairman John Sharp, Deputy chairman Jim Davis, managing director |
Products | Airlines, air cargo, air charter |
Revenue | A$321.8 million (2020) [20] |
– A$19.397 million (2020) | |
Number of employees | 1,089 (2020) [2] |
Website |
www |
Regional Express Holdings Limited is the parent company of a number of airline and associated companies in Australia. It is based in Mascot, New South Wales (a suburb of Sydney) and is a public listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange. Regional Express Holdings arose from the 2001 collapse of Ansett Airlines, which was the parent company of Kendell Airlines and Hazelton Airlines. A group of Singaporean investors and a collection of Australian private investors purchased the Hazelton and Kendell businesses, which were profitable entities before they were taken over by Ansett. The investors formed Australiawide Airlines, which was officially incorporated on 12 February 2002. The assets of the two airlines were purchased by Australiawide and merged to form the airline Regional Express, known as Rex. In 2005 Australiawide offered a percentage of the owners' shares (35 million out of 115 million shares, or 30.43%) to the public in a float. [21] [22] At the same time an agreement was reached with the owners of Pel-Air that Australiawide would purchase Pel-Air. [23]
As part of the public float process, Australiawide Airlines' name was changed to Regional Express Holdings. Regional Express Holdings is the owner of a number of other companies. [24] The main asset is Regional Express Pty. Ltd. which is the company that operates the business of the airline Regional Express (Rex) and owns Rex Airlines Pty Limited. Rex Airlines Pty Limited was registered on the 6 July 2020 as part of Rex domestic expansion plans, responsible for issuing tickets on behalf of Regional Express Pty Limited. Another company is Air Partners Pty. Ltd., which is the company that owns National Jet Express and Pel-Air and Rex Flyer. The third subsidiary company is Rex Investment Holdings Pty. Ltd., which owns the Australian Aero Propeller Maintenance and Australian Airline Pilot Academies based in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.
Rex Airlines initially offered regional flights from various bases across Australia using turboprop aircraft, but in March 2021 began flying between its bases using jet aircraft with flights between Melbourne and Sydney. Their current domestic flights consist of destinations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Hobart. [25]
Rex Airlines operates to the following destinations [26] as of August 2023 [update]:
As of January 2024 [update], Rex Airlines operates the following aircraft: [32]
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers |
Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J | Y | Total
| ||||
Boeing 737-800 | 9 | 2 [33] | 8 | 162 | 170 | |
168 | 176 | |||||
Saab 340 | 57 | — | — | 30 | 30 | |
33 | 33 | |||||
34 | 34 | |||||
36 | 36 | |||||
Total | 66 | 2 |
Rex Airlines has previously operated the following aircraft:
Rex operates the world's largest fleet of Saab 340 aircraft. [34] The delivery of 25 ex- American Eagle Airlines Saab 340B Plus aircraft started in mid-2007 and enabled the expansion of services and the phase-out of the airline's Saab 340As, and some older B models. The 340B Plus has a quieter and more comfortable interior.
In July 2008 the company announced that all of its 340As would be phased out; however one rejoined the fleet in July 2015 after a 7-year stint with Rex's subsidiary airline Pel-Air and remains in service as of January 2020. [35] [36] [37]
The airline also previously operated some Fairchild Metro 23 aircraft seating 19 passengers, but the aircraft were later phased out.
The airline operated an all-Saab 340 fleet with three variants of the type until December of 2020, [37] when the airline commenced jet aircraft operations following the delivery of its first Boeing 737-800.
In November 2007, Regional Express Airlines and Mangalore Airport Pty Limited created a joint venture pilot academy called the Civil Aviation Training Academy, based at Mangalore Airport in Victoria. [41] In April 2008, Regional Express Airlines fully acquired the Civil Aviation Training Academy and it was renamed to Australian Airline Pilot Academy. [42]
On 18 February 2009, Regional Express Airlines announced that the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) would be relocated from Mangalore Airport to Wagga Wagga Airport in partnership with the City of Wagga Wagga starting in April 2009. [43] [44]
On 27 May 2010, the AAPA campus at Wagga Wagga Airport was officially opened by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese. [45]
On 19 November 2019, AAPA purchased ST Aerospace Academy Australia at Ballarat Airport in Victoria, taking it over as a second campus. [46]
In addition to training aircraft, the flight school has five flight simulators, including a full motion Saab 340 simulator. There is also one retired Saab 340B at Wagga Wagga used as a training aid.
As of December 2021 [update], the Australian Airline Pilot Academy operates the following aircraft: [47]
Aircraft | In service |
Location |
---|---|---|
Cessna 152 | 1 | Ballarat |
Cessna 172S | 14 | Ballarat |
Piper PA-28 Warrior | 16 | Wagga Wagga |
Piper PA-44 Seminole | 10 | Ballarat and Wagga Wagga |
Beechcraft King Air C90GTi | 1 | Ballarat |
Beechcraft Super King Air B200 | 1 | Wagga Wagga |
{{
cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
Media related to Rex Airlines at Wikimedia Commons