Angus Kidman – anguskidman.show

I’ve got to stop making a habit of this.

Just a few weeks after I flew with Bonza and then the airline collapsed, the same thing has happened with Rex.

Last month, I took a Business Rex flight from Melbourne to Sydney, partly so I could review the flight, partly so I could check out the Rex Lounge (the only one of Rex’s three lounges I’d never visited).

And then I wake up today to the news that Rex has gone into administration. While its flights from regional centres continue, all its flights between capital cities have been cancelled. It seems unlikely they’ll ever return. The competition from Qantas and Virgin is just too tough.

That’s a pity, but it’s not a surprise. As analysts have rushed to point out, Australia’s population just isn’t big enough to support multiple airlines, even between our major population centres.

Unlike Bonza, Rex was offering flights on Sydney-Melbourne, Australia’s busiest route. But they weren’t that frequent, maxing out at around 3 a day.

I flew because I scored a “cheap” Business seat for $299, and the flight I was on was full, but clearly it wasn’t possible to make a viable business from the capital city routes.

The flight itself was great. Like Virgin, there are just a couple of rows of Business seats. Unlike Virgin, there’s actually a decent choice of meals, include a very acceptable vegetarian pasta. The crew also kept me happily topped up with red wine throughout the meal.

Having visited the Sydney and Adelaide Rex lounges, my hopes weren’t high. I’d booked an afternoon flight so the (self-service) bar would be open, and there were various snacks on offer.

There weren’t heaps of power outlets in the lounge, but it wasn’t super-crowded. Indeed, I think there were more folks there using Priority Pass than actually travelling on a Rex flight. When I headed off to board the last flight of the day, I was the only person present.

It seems likely that Rex will seek out government assistance to keep operating its regional services. For the sake of folks in those towns, I hope it happens. But it seems unlikely Rex will return to the major routes, and it also seems that my 6,245 Rex Flyer points will never get used. Damn.

For more airline shenanigans, check out my review of how Qantas Group Boarding is going.

Angus Kidman: My honest review commitment * I only review products and services I’ve tried myself. * I pay for those products and services myself. * I don’t make any money from affiliate links or promotional deals – my reviews are an honest reflection of my experience.