ZL RXA Destinations 54 Headquarters Mascot Parent organization Regional Express Holdings | RXA REX Founded 2002 Fleet size 52 | |
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Operating bases Company slogan "Our heart is in the country" Parent company Regional Express Holdings CEO Neville George Howell (1 Jul 2014–) | ||
Regional express airlines rex flight 768 atc recording propeller separation from shaft
Regional Express (also known as Rex) is an Australian airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. Its entire fleet consists of 52 Swedish built Saab 340 turboprop aircraft seating 33, 34 or 36 passengers.
Contents
History
The airline was established in 2002 when the Australiawide Airlines consortium (set up by former Ansett Australia employees) acquired Hazelton Airlines and Kendell Airlines, merged the two companies and started operations in August 2002 as Rex. In 2005, Australiawide Airlines was renamed Regional Express Holdings and partially floated on the Australian Securities Exchange. On 30 November 2005, Rex announced the acquisition of the Dubbo-based Air Link, another regional airline.
In October 2007, Rex expanded into Queensland when it commenced operations between Brisbane and Maryborough. 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 Airways and Virgin Blue), and Rex suspended operations out of Brisbane (and from Sydney to Cooma during the summer "low season" for this route to the NSW ski fields) 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. At the same time, Rex announced the impending retirement of Managing director Geoff Breust.
In November 2015, Rex announced the resumption of services to the NSW Snowy Mountains in conjunction with Snowy Mountains Airport Corporation. The flights commenced in March 2016. In December 2015, Rex announced that they were selected by the Western Australia Government to be the operator of regulated RPT routes after a tender process. This is the first time that Rex will be operating out of WA. The new routes, effective 28 February 2016, are from Perth to Albany and Esperance. It brings Rex's weekly flights to some 1,500 across 58 destinations.
Fleet
Rex operates the world's largest fleet of Saab 340 aircraft. 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' subsidiary airline Pel-Air and remains in service as of November 2016.
The airline also previously operated some Metro 23 aircraft seating 19 passengers but were phased out.
As of November 2016, the following aircraft are in the Rex mainline passenger fleet.
Incidents and accidents
Flight school
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. In April 2008 Regional Express Airlines fully acquired the Civil Aviation Training Academy and it was renamed to Australian Airline Pilot Academy.
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.
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.