For all those saying "But Rex provide a critical service, without them, XYZ will happen!" where does it end? How much taxpayer money is "too much" to give them to keep them afloat? Another $10? $20? $100M? The previous government gave a ****load to the likes of Harvey Norman, Qantas and other's during Covid with no requirement to repay it, and we'll likely be in debt until my
grandkids retire from the workforce paying it off. I didn't agree with that, and I don't agree with bailing out Rex now. Certainly not without taking some kind of ownership or stake in the company in return for the $$.
Rex rolled the dice without a backup plan, and they lost. It's a shame, but that's business. They had a sound business model going, and took the punt they would do what
VB did when Ansett went belly up. It didn't pay off and they had no alternative if VA kept going.
I genuinely feel for the crew, from cabin & tech to the ginger-beer's, and I suspect the Saab operation will be found to be financially viable, at least for another few years until a fleet replacement program is no longer wanted but
required. If Rex was making money on a route, were it not for the 737 gamble, Link or someone else can step in to fill the gap and
they can earn the profits.
But Government cannot be expected to fund every bad business decision made by a company, no matter what industry it is.