There’s a new player connecting eastern and Western Australia, with Rex unveiling a new service between Melbourne Airport and Perth.
Commencing 28 June 2024, the service will operate five times per week, with Rex promising fares from $299 one-way for economy and $999 for business class.
Utilising its Boeing 737 aircraft on the route, the new service has been added to Rex’s schedule from today.
Rex General Manager Network Strategy, Warrick Lodge said the announcement would boost tourism and trade, adding nearly 90,000 seats to the route.
“When more airlines compete on a particular route, consumers benefit and our record in the domestic markets speaks for itself – Rex delivers terrific value for money,” Lodge remarked.
“Rex consistently outshines its domestic rivals in on-time performance and cancellation rates, and when travellers are booking a route of this distance and duration, reliability is paramount.
“Our competitors cancelled 57 flights in total on this route in the first four months of 2024, while their combined on-time arrival and departure performance was only around 72 per cent.”
The new service is Rex’s 11th to use its B737. The carrier welcomed its latest and 10th Boeing 737-800NG in Brisbane in December 2023.
The carrier said it would unveil another domestic route in the coming days.
Two-way tourism boost
Victorian Government Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said, “We are delighted with the news of extra flights between Melbourne and Perth and look forward to welcoming even more visitors from Perth to experience all the wonderful things Victoria has to offer”.
Victorian Government Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins added that the new service would help “create local jobs and increase our capacity on a key flight route”.
Meanwhile, Western Australia Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Tourism and Transport Rita Saffioiti lauded the announcement as another win for Western Australian tourism.
“We always love welcoming Victorian friends to the west coast, so this is a fantastic announcement for tourism and our local industry here in Western Australia,” she stated.
“There’s so much to see, do and enjoy in our beautiful state all year round, so I certainly encourage Victorians to make the most of these new flights and book their next holiday to WA.”
The launch of the new service has been timed to kick off at the same time as the school holidays.
“We’re excited to see Rex expanding its offering from Melbourne because we know that more choice is great for consumers,” Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said.
“Having a third airline group flying between Perth and Melbourne will increase competition and allow more people to reconnect with family and friends or explore Victoria’s fantastic tourism offering.”
Perth Airport Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer Kate Holsgrove said, “The introduction of Rex’s first interstate routes from our Terminal 2 is a sure sign of their confidence in the Perth market”.
“This gives Western Australians more options for travel and we look forward to working with the Rex Airline team to ensure the new routes are successful.”
In 2023, Perth Airport set a record for passenger traffic. With a little help from Rex, it might be on its way to another record-breaking year in 2024.
Earlier this year, Rex entered a new interline partnership with Etihad Airways to provide its passengers with convenient connections via Sydney or Melbourne to the global carrier’s extensive network under one booking and itinerary without rechecking their baggage.
In October 2023, Rex launched its first loyalty program for frequent flyers, tempting travellers with a sign-up bonus, early bird extras, a “unique” 48-hour sale on unsold seats and Australia’s most “flexible” frequent flyer program.
