Regional airlines - routes and developments
 

With a lot happening in regional aviation, I thought a thread on the topic might be interesting. In particular the evolution of routes beyond the traditional service from a regional town to its state capital is becoming significant.

For example look at FlyCorporate's Orange - Melbourne, Jetgo's Dubbo to Brisbane and Melbourne, Airnorth's Toowoomba - Melbourne and the recently launched FlyPelican Newcastle - Adelaide.

One notable absentee from this evolution of flying interstate regional routes is REX. Why?

Tamworth - Brisbane
 

FlyCorporate has ramped up Tamworth - Brisbane to 18 flights per week and upgraded aircraft from Metros to SAABs.

What does this do to Jetgo's 4 flights a week jet service? Two competitors on a route that was empty a few years ago? Watch this space.

Mildura VIC to/from Adelaide SA
Broken Hill NSW to/from Adelaide SA
Mount Gambier SA to/from Melbourne VIC
Merimbula NSW to/from Melbourne VIC
Broken Hill NSW to/from Mildura VIC
Port Augusta SA to/from Coober Pedy SA
etc etc.

Not absent at all.

None of those are to/from ITS state capital.

(Edited for spelling and to add States because a typo is more important than the facts, right?!) :*

Perhaps it should be the capital, either that or Kimba or perhaps Yunta.

Charlie U Need Typos

Hey Checklist Charlie.

Use your eyes.

OP:

In particular the evolution of routes beyond the traditional service from a regional town to ITS state capital is becoming significant.

...well the 'Capital" of SA would be about $100.00 and some IOU's..

I'm missing your point here. What is it?

Yes, true. But REX hasn't done much recently, these examples are mostly longstanding routes.

He/She was saying that I was wrong because Adelaide/Melb are state capitals. I was referencing your point regarding the routes being interstate, ie Mt G to Melb is not a route to/from that country towns state capital.

More aircraft are being purchased but in the short term Rex is essentially at capacity.

Big expansion into QLD and WA over the last two years.

OK, point taken. Cairns - Mt Isa and Cairns - Townsville would be more examples of REX doing stuff.

There would be more than a few people who would agree with that statement!:*:}

As for one former SA Regional route; I can still remember a regular route of Adelaide to Renmark and return that was abandoned well over 20 years ago simply because no-one used it! When it was dropped, the locals objected to its loss.:ooh:

So, a small Company advertised that they would re-instate it and did so.

Guess what happened! :=:ugh:

And so, it was dropped again! And the reason for this was made known!

The ensuing silence was embarrassing but deafening.:*

Any idea what REX are planning?

Carnarvon and Monkey Mia in june.

One of the best one liners I've seen on PPRuNe in twenty years!! :ok: :}

Wollongong Airport
 

Australia's "newest" regional RPT airport is Wollongong Airport.

Jetgo has been operating for 3 months. Passenger numbers on the Melbourne route climbed to 2,040 in January (+97 over December) with a load factor of 73%.

Numbers to Brisbane were less impressive, declining slightly to 1,177 (-184 over December), with only 52% load factor. The airline has already reacted to these weaker numbers by dropping the Saturday Brisbane flight.

How is Rex going these days?

Those Saabs must me getting on. Any plans for a type replacement some time down the track?

Fleet replacement will unfortunately be the ultimate death of Rex.