Rex reaches agreement with Queensland Government

Statement from Regional Express (Rex) Airlines - 8 March 2020

Regional Express (Rex) today announces that an agreement has been reached with the Queensland Government for the provision of a reduced schedule under a variation of the existing service contract that covers the Northern 1 & 2 routes, the Western 1 & 2 routes and the Gulf route. The reduced schedule will see all communities on these routes receive at least one return service a week.

Rex’s General Manager of Network Strategy, Warrick Lodge, said, “The Queensland Government understands how vitally critical air services are to remote and outback Queensland on the five regulated routes serviced by Rex and has allocated a considerable budget to further subsidise these communities to provide them with a minimum level of essential air services.”

“They are only one of two States in Australia that have risen to the challenge and the Queensland Government has managed to sustain enough air services to meet the minimum needs of these communities during this period of national emergency.”

Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the government’s partnership with Rex was essential to ensure a minimum level of air services were maintained for the state’s regional and remote communities during the COVID-19 response.

“There are many community members with pre-existing health challenges who still need to travel to larger centres for treatment, or workers who need to travel for essential jobs, so air services are critical to support them,” Mr Bailey said.

“Like many businesses, airlines are doing it tough so I thank Rex for working with us to make sure we continue to provide essential transport options for rural and regional Queenslanders.”

Read the full release on Rex's website.