Rex has taken the crown as Australia’s number one domestic airline for reliability and punctuality in 2023 according to the latest numbers released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE).
BITRE’s December figures reveal that of the Rex Group’s 5,500 flights scheduled for the month, it cancelled only 0.6% of them. The Qantas Group could take consolation from the fact that while its cancellation rate is a disgraceful 700% higher than Rex’s, it is could still boast that it is not at the bottom of the barrel since the Virgin Group’s cancellation rate is 1,250% higher than Rex’s.
For On-Time Departures, the Rex Group achieved 74% On Time Departures, followed by the Qantas Group at 67%, and the Virgin Group trailing at a distant 57%.
The December results mirror the results for calendar year 2023, where Rex’s reliability is in a class of its own compared to the other domestic carriers.
“To maintain such high reliability rates is no mean feat, especially in the continued challenging environment still plaguing the aviation industry throughout 2023,” said Deputy Chairman, the Hon John Sharp AM.
“Rex always does the right thing by its passengers unlike both Qantas and Virgin Australia. For example, one of the main contributing factors for the shocking cancellation rates of both of them is the deliberate scheduling of flights they never intend to fly in and out of Sydney in order to squat on the slots. They then simply cancel them at last minute to game the slots system, callously ignoring the pain and suffering caused to hundreds of thousands of passengers every year.”
“The numbers speak for themselves.”
Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 58 Saab 340 and 10 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to 56 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator), the Australian Airline Pilot Academy with campuses in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat, and propeller maintenance organisation, Australian Aerospace Propeller Maintenance. Rex is also a 50% shareholder of National Jet Express (NJE), a premier Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO), charter and freight operator.
