REX-OVERY FLIGHTS
Boutique airline debuts into GC from major cities with 5000 seats a week
BOUTIQUE airline Rex is launching its first flights into the Gold Coast from Sydney and Melbourne, adding 5000 inbound seats to the city. The connections – flying return twice daily from both centres – will include launch fares to Sydney of $69 and $79 for Melbourne. Queensland Airports CEO Chris Mills said: “This is a vote of confidence in the Gold Coast. People want to travel again, and the Gold Coast is at the top of their wish list.”
BOUTIQUE regional airline Rex will launch its first two Gold Coast routes within a month in a move tourism bosses have declared a “vote of confidence” in the city.
Rex Airlines will on Monday announce it will begin flying direct from Gold Coast to Melbourne and Gold Coast to Sydney from March 29, in time for the busy Easter season.
The two new daily return services are among the first of Rex’s nationwide expansion to major cities. Its Boeing
737-800 jets – with capacity for 176 passengers – will touch down on the Gold Coast twice from Sydney and twice from Melbourne daily. It adds up to almost 5000 new Coast inbound passengers per week.
Queensland Airports CEO
Chris Mills said the new routes would deliver a big city boost.
“This is a vote of confidence in the Gold Coast. People want to travel again, and the Gold Coast is at the top of their wish list, and clearly Rex sees the opportunity this presents,” he said.
“These new services give customers even more choice on the Gold Coast’s two busiest routes.”
Rex has previously focused purely on regional ports including Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach. Its expansion comes nearly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the virtual shutdown of the international and domestic aviation industry.
Gold Coast Airport’s traffic plummeted by 99 per cent as a result of border closures and Virgin going into administration before its sale.
Data in January revealed traveller numbers in the week before Christmas were nearly 70 per cent below pre-COVID levels. Rex was also hit by the shutdowns but survived on the back of more than $62m in government grants.
Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said the airline was keen to work with Queensland Airports to expand its reach.
Gold Coast tourism bosses are looking to the new routes as a fresh start for the city.
Launch fares will be $69 for the Sydney route and $79 for Melbourne. The new flights were secured in a deal between Rex, Queensland Airports, Gold Coast City Council and Destination Gold Coast.
New Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the flights would boost visitor numbers heading into traditionally quieter winter months. “The commencement of services from key interstate visitor markets of Sydney and Melbourne will be critical,” she said.
“The warmth of our Gold Coast winter weather, our hinterland rainforest, beaches, theme parks and quality dining are all major reasons for people down south to head north and our Gold Coast operators are waiting to welcome them with open arms.”
Mayor Tom Tate said: “This is fantastic news at a time when our city is recovering from the biggest economic challenge in its history.”