Regional Express has attributed the closure of its flight path between Albury and Melbourne to Qantas flooding the market.
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NSW-Victorian border residents will have one less flight option between Albury and Melbourne after REX announced its withdrawal from the Albury-Melbourne route today, effective from May 29.
REX deputy chairman John Sharp AM said the company exited the route, which had been in operation for 39 years, with a "heavy heart".
"This route is the casualty of Qantas' illegal predatory behaviour to drive out competition in a war of attrition, knowing that its competitors do not have the balance sheet to lose money indefinitely," he said.
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"Pre-COVID, 22,000 passengers a year flew between Albury and Melbourne, hardly enough passengers for one carrier, let alone two.
"Qantas then entered the route - one of nine REX regional routes targeted by Qantas during the COVID pandemic - dumping an additional 31,000 seats annually into the market."
"It is with a heavy heart that we have to exit this route, after servicing it faithfully for the last 39 years.
"REX has no choice but to look after itself.
"Sadly for the community, we will soon see Qantas providing only a token service once it sees that it has achieved its objectives."
Victoria Ellis
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
