The future of Regional Express Airlines, or REX, is literally up in the air with the financially troubled carrier going into voluntary administration overnight.
A notice posted on the airline’s website says all regional planes are still flying as scheduled, but jet services between capital cities have been cancelled.
REX is still taking bookings in and out of Devonport, Burnie and King Island, but jet flights in and out of Hobart have been cancelled.
The airline hasn’t made a profit since the pandemic and has been losing around $1 million dollars a week.
Rex employs around 2000 aviation workers around the country, including some in Tasmania.
If the airline’s unable to trade out of administration it would see the end of competition in Devonport and Burnie markets, where Qantaslink currently operates as well, giving the monopoly to the Flying Kangaroo.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King says the Government will do whatever it can to keep REX operating, but not at any cost.
