Regional Express (Rex) will start services from Perth into Albany and Esperance in Western Australia for the first time on Sunday.
The WA Government announced last December that Rex had won a contract to operate two routes in its review of regulated Regular Public Transport (RPT) air services in the state. The two routes are:
- Perth - Esperance (18 weekly return services)
- Perth - Albany (23 weekly return services)
Rex has the sole right to operate these routes for the next five years.
Rex’s General Manager for Network Strategy and Sales Warrick Lodge said, “Rex is honoured to have been selected by the WA State Government to provide essential regional air services between Perth and the communities of Albany and Esperance.
“As these are Rex’s first operations in WA, the Rex team has worked tirelessly over the past three months to set up a new Rex base in Perth. Three aircraft have already been deployed to Perth, and a dedicated Perth crew and maintenance base has been established.”
Rex takes over the routes from Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) using SAAB 340s instead of the heavier Fokker 50s of VARA.