Rex to withdraw from Parkes and West Wyalong...
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Rex to withdraw from Parkes and West Wyalong...
Sorry to post the following news...
If I was still at Rex, would miss the 'ole "Rex Parkes, Rex Five-Eighteen"... "Parkes ..COPYYYYYYYYY" from Andy.
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Rex Withdraws from West Wyalong
Quote:
Regional Express (Rex) today announced that it will cease operating its twice weekly service from West Wyalong to Sydney from 28th September 2007. The last service will operate on Thursday 27th September.
Rex Managing Director, Geoff Breust, said today that the decision had been a difficult one as Rex had worked closely with the Bland Shire Council to not only establish the service, but also to maintain the service over the past 18 months. The service, which was originally established to meet the demands associated with the construction phase of the Lake Cowal Gold Mine, has seen a significantly decline in patronage since the Gold Mine became operational.
Following close consultation with the Bland Shire Council and Barrick Gold with regard to future requirements, in January 2007 the flight frequency was reduced to a single, middle of the day frequency on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“It is regrettable the service cannot be sustained for the long term. While it has fulfilled the need for which it was provided, we are disappointed we now have to withdraw the service but the decision is unavoidable. In fact, the service has not met its operating costs for many months,” Mr Breust said.
Customers with any queries or who are holding a reservation for travel beyond 28 September are requested to contact the Rex Customer Contact Centre on 13 17 13 to make alternative arrangements. Rex will re-accommodate affected customers on Rex services between either Griffith - Sydney, Parkes - Sydney or Wagga Wagga - Sydney, where Rex operates frequent services each day.
“We pay tribute to the Bland Shire Council and the management of Barrick Gold for their support and contribution to the service. We extend special thanks to Gary Shaw and his staff at Harvey World Travel West Wyalong for their commitment to the service. We also thank all those who have used the service over the last two and a half years.
Rex Withdrawal from Parkes
Quote:
Regional Express (Rex) has confirmed it has advised Parkes Shire Council that it proposes to withdraw services from the route.
Rex Managing Director, Geoff Breust, said that Parkes Shire Council was advised of the decision last Friday following meetings of the Rex Board last week.
“Rex has grown the passenger numbers from 13,400 during the period just prior to the collapse of Ansett/Hazelton in 2000/2001 to 31,700 at the end of last FY. Parkes Shire Council annual airport head tax revenue almost doubled during that same period – from $100,000 in 2000/2001 to $190,000 last financial year. In addition Rex is proud to have made the following remarkable achievements for Parkes:
- Full transition from 19 seat combined Metro 23 services to a fully dedicated 34 Seat Saab 340.
- Seat capacity has increased by 400 percent to 62,000 annual seats.
- Peak arrival and departure slots are now dedicated to Parkes.
- Average ticket price (including fuel levy) has decreased by 29 percent in the last four years – current entry level $107. Excluding the fuel levy, the average fares have reduced by more than 40 percent.
- Passenger numbers have grown from 13,000 to almost 32,000.
“Rex has provided Parkes with one of the best airline services in the world for a community of its size. To achieve this, Rex has invested heavily in the service and continues to incur losses on this route. Rex is prepared to continue its considerable financial investments in the spirit of a partnership approach which Rex believes will pay dividends in the long term for all stakeholders.
“Rex is disappointed that despite two rounds of discussions with Council, the latter has decided to proceed with a 15 percent head tax increase in this FY despite a 66 percent rise in head tax revenue in the past FY.
“Given the negative financial returns of the route and the decision of Council, the Board is compelled to instruct management to make plans to withdraw from the route and redeploy the resources to meet its other requirements. The exact timing of the termination will be announced once finalised.”
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If I was still at Rex, would miss the 'ole "Rex Parkes, Rex Five-Eighteen"... "Parkes ..COPYYYYYYYYY" from Andy.
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Rex Withdraws from West Wyalong
Quote:
Regional Express (Rex) today announced that it will cease operating its twice weekly service from West Wyalong to Sydney from 28th September 2007. The last service will operate on Thursday 27th September.
Rex Managing Director, Geoff Breust, said today that the decision had been a difficult one as Rex had worked closely with the Bland Shire Council to not only establish the service, but also to maintain the service over the past 18 months. The service, which was originally established to meet the demands associated with the construction phase of the Lake Cowal Gold Mine, has seen a significantly decline in patronage since the Gold Mine became operational.
Following close consultation with the Bland Shire Council and Barrick Gold with regard to future requirements, in January 2007 the flight frequency was reduced to a single, middle of the day frequency on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“It is regrettable the service cannot be sustained for the long term. While it has fulfilled the need for which it was provided, we are disappointed we now have to withdraw the service but the decision is unavoidable. In fact, the service has not met its operating costs for many months,” Mr Breust said.
Customers with any queries or who are holding a reservation for travel beyond 28 September are requested to contact the Rex Customer Contact Centre on 13 17 13 to make alternative arrangements. Rex will re-accommodate affected customers on Rex services between either Griffith - Sydney, Parkes - Sydney or Wagga Wagga - Sydney, where Rex operates frequent services each day.
“We pay tribute to the Bland Shire Council and the management of Barrick Gold for their support and contribution to the service. We extend special thanks to Gary Shaw and his staff at Harvey World Travel West Wyalong for their commitment to the service. We also thank all those who have used the service over the last two and a half years.
Rex Withdrawal from Parkes
Quote:
Regional Express (Rex) has confirmed it has advised Parkes Shire Council that it proposes to withdraw services from the route.
Rex Managing Director, Geoff Breust, said that Parkes Shire Council was advised of the decision last Friday following meetings of the Rex Board last week.
“Rex has grown the passenger numbers from 13,400 during the period just prior to the collapse of Ansett/Hazelton in 2000/2001 to 31,700 at the end of last FY. Parkes Shire Council annual airport head tax revenue almost doubled during that same period – from $100,000 in 2000/2001 to $190,000 last financial year. In addition Rex is proud to have made the following remarkable achievements for Parkes:
- Full transition from 19 seat combined Metro 23 services to a fully dedicated 34 Seat Saab 340.
- Seat capacity has increased by 400 percent to 62,000 annual seats.
- Peak arrival and departure slots are now dedicated to Parkes.
- Average ticket price (including fuel levy) has decreased by 29 percent in the last four years – current entry level $107. Excluding the fuel levy, the average fares have reduced by more than 40 percent.
- Passenger numbers have grown from 13,000 to almost 32,000.
“Rex has provided Parkes with one of the best airline services in the world for a community of its size. To achieve this, Rex has invested heavily in the service and continues to incur losses on this route. Rex is prepared to continue its considerable financial investments in the spirit of a partnership approach which Rex believes will pay dividends in the long term for all stakeholders.
“Rex is disappointed that despite two rounds of discussions with Council, the latter has decided to proceed with a 15 percent head tax increase in this FY despite a 66 percent rise in head tax revenue in the past FY.
“Given the negative financial returns of the route and the decision of Council, the Board is compelled to instruct management to make plans to withdraw from the route and redeploy the resources to meet its other requirements. The exact timing of the termination will be announced once finalised.”
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We'll probably see more of this sort of thing in the near future.
West Wyalong is one thing, but the pulling out of Parkes will see the local community lose their air service because of outside circumstances and local government greed and ineptitude.
Rex are now cancelling flights on an almost daily basis. The reason, not enough crew! Surprise surprise you might say. It's amazing that the local authorities have not either grasped nor appreciated this.
REX are struggleing to crew flights, and the decision to cancell Parkes would have been a no-brainer. If the Council at Parkes do not want to lose this service, then they may need to think about subsidies. So what do they do? Raise the head tax! Well, the Einsteins on the Parkes council wont be reaping the extra revenue now. They have effectively done the ratepayers out of nearly $200K per year and lost them their air service in one fell swoop!
West Wyalong is one thing, but the pulling out of Parkes will see the local community lose their air service because of outside circumstances and local government greed and ineptitude.
Rex are now cancelling flights on an almost daily basis. The reason, not enough crew! Surprise surprise you might say. It's amazing that the local authorities have not either grasped nor appreciated this.
REX are struggleing to crew flights, and the decision to cancell Parkes would have been a no-brainer. If the Council at Parkes do not want to lose this service, then they may need to think about subsidies. So what do they do? Raise the head tax! Well, the Einsteins on the Parkes council wont be reaping the extra revenue now. They have effectively done the ratepayers out of nearly $200K per year and lost them their air service in one fell swoop!
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I think you will find the charge per head is only about the $7 mark at Parkes, and nearby Orange are charging approx $13 per head (Parkes local paper has the exact figures).
Reality is that flights cannot be crewed due lack of initiative to retain crew (or pay them for overtime), pure and simple! Convienient to save face and blame it on the council.
Really unfortunate for our best agent and his family
Reality is that flights cannot be crewed due lack of initiative to retain crew (or pay them for overtime), pure and simple! Convienient to save face and blame it on the council.
Really unfortunate for our best agent and his family
Can breathe a sigh of relief now as I`ve just heard that PKE is going to be ok for quite a while now. Always loved working with Andy and the team.Join Date: Nov 1998
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Over 100 rural communities lost their essential scheduled air services in the last three decades.
Perhaps the Minister for Transport needs to re-finance the RASS Scheme?
Perhaps the Minister for Transport needs to re-finance the RASS Scheme?
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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Perhaps the Minister for Transport needs to re-finance the RASS Scheme?
I know of an instance where due to unfortunate circumstances a community lost its scheduled air services and another operator attempted to fill the gap.
The new Operator noted that the last service of the day would arrive just after 7.30pm local and the Pilot was required to overnight. There was no taxi service available and by the time the pilot had finished all duties for the day the kitchen at the pub where the pilot was to stay had closed.
The operator contacted the pub and asked if they could have the pilot picked up from the airfield and have a meal kept hot for him/her.
The answer was no and the publican flatly refused to even discuss the issue!
The eventual outcome can be guessed at!
