Monday 1 March 2021

Sydney Airport today welcomed a new carrier on Australia’s busiest domestic route, with Regional Express Airlines commencing the inaugural Sydney-Melbourne services. Today’s flight landed in Sydney at 0825hrs, one of three services per week from Melbourne which will grow to six daily services between the two cities by April, adding approximately 3,000 seats per day on the route.

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert welcomed the new service as an encouraging sign of the strength of the recovery of domestic aviation.

“Eighteen and a half years ago REX took its inaugural flight from Wagga Wagga to Sydney Airport. So this is an important day for REX but also for Sydney Airport - REX's heart may be in the country, but it's always had one foot in the city.

REX was born in the shadow of another crisis for the aviation industry, in the dark days following September 11, 2001. There is never an easy time to launch a new airline - to do so at that moment required grit, courage, and foresight. The fact we are here today to celebrate this milestone is a direct result of that same 'have a go' attitude, at a time when the industry is again emerging from the eye of the storm. We commend REX for its bold vision, and the speed at which it has been able to realise it.”

Supporting this return to growth, Rex also today announced plans for a new Sydney-Coolangatta service from April, adding to its existing services from Sydney to Armidale, Dubbo, Orange, Parkes, Bathurst, Griffith, Moruya, Cooma, and Narrandera-Leeton.

Rex will be flying Boeing 737-800s between Sydney and Melbourne.