Rex upping the competition again with 100,000 seats released at $79 between Melbourne and Sydney yesterday. Sale continues until those seats are sold out.
Includes carry-on and checked luggage.
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This deal originally posted on Beat That Flight where some cheaper prices have even been found!
seems so :/ Unless maybe a few dates still remain at that price from previous sale?
you're right, just did a search on our site and found some dates at cheaper prices. So worth checking I guess.
Had a quick look. Might be that $79 flights are any time and the $49 are just March?
Do not think Virgin/ Bain saw this coming…better start looking after the Platinium FF again Virgin and give full refunds/ not credits!
I am gold and have been for several years.
I said to them that I can't take the flight by March to get extended and asked for one more week to go during easter.
I waited a few days for them to come back and they flat out refused.
Now I'm no longer loyal to them and shopping around.
Very poor commercial decisions being made by Virgin's new owners in my view.
Loyalty is a two way street
"…if I'm asking it of you, you're getting it from me - Harvey Spektor."
Tell Jayne Hrdlicka where to go!
New Virgin is a no-fly for me.
I had to change some flights because of the Brisbane lockdown - the new flights were cheaper yet I was still charged a fare change fee of $30. Their website is plastered in advertising that says "No fare change fee, you only pay the difference"
To top if off I've been waiting since January 12 for a reply to my email complaint about this.
I'll definitely be trying REX once they launch Melbourne-Brisbane.
Keep emailing them, on an descending timeline i.e 2 weeks, 1 week, 5 days etc. Bully your way to the top of the pile.
I bought a couple of fo $49 Syd <> Melb flights with Virgin for this month :)
On a side note, $49 is a loss-maker between Sydney and Melbourne, the breakeven point is $60 per seat, provided all seats are full.
Australian Frequent Flyer has data on the cost of this.
$49 is purely to get interest in an airline, nothing more. Or they will have the first 20 seats on each flight at $49 and the remaining at a higher price to offset the loss-making seats.
Never thought I'd see the day that REX had 737's in their fleet.
Part of the 340 experience was hunching over like Quasimodo while trying to take a piss.
Ex Virgin 737's too boot. You are correct about the 340…add in a bit of turbulence and it gets interesting
hunching over like Quasimodo while trying to take a piss.
Best laugh in a while!
Haha! It must be good being tall? (Unless you're flying Rex/economy.)
Or getting the front row door seat and helping the nice lady close the door :D
OP: how do you make money if the link to this deal is direct to Rex and not your site?
Most of my posts don't. I just try to post good deals I've found.
Also ozbargain limits how many times a week you can post to your own site :)
Ahh
I mean that's why this post wasn't marked as associated or store rep.
You should post that Virgin is also offering $79 Melbourne <> Gold Coast economy flights, can book now, appears to work for a few months as I've just booked for April and June at this price :)
Plus it'll keep my status points up, which is a bonus for loyal flyers.
looks like you posted, thanks!
Wish I could down-vote Rex.
Screwing regional flights like never before.
What a slap in the face for people like me who previously relied heavily on REX for regional flights to get to work. Now they are shutting down regional flights citing Qantas competition when Qantas actually don't fly to most of these routes.
Boycott their inter Major center flights until they fix their rural routes. (Ironic now they are called REGIONAL express).
I could only imagine that regional routes lack demand that it’s uneconomical to service.
Melb-Sydney has always been one of the most profitable routes in the world. So it’s hard to blame a profit oriented corporation for their decision to avoid loss.
But isn't Rex's purpose is to serve regional Australia?
I used to fly regularly with Rex a few times a month. They do well in some routes that Qantas also operates (e.g. Syd-Armidale) but actively reduced the flight numbers since COVID. The demand is still there because of a large number of fly in fly out / temporary / sessional workers.
But isn't Rex's purpose is to serve regional Australia
I don’t know, I’m not associated or know Rex well.
But I do know they are incorporated to make money for shareholders. Now that can often mean looking after customers etc even if there little profit for an activity if it bodes well for other commercial activity. So customer goodwill may be important. But sometimes, some loss making activities may never eventuate to anything no matter how well you serve your loss making market.
In other words, you gotta cut your losses sometimes. Maybe now is a time for Rex? Again, I only speculate.
@cloudy: I know they receive subsidies from the government to fly the regional routes.
Probably because these subsidies are stopping that's why they stop flying. (And shift blame to Qantas on the way).
@Ahyao17: but if subsidies were the only thing keeping these routes viable; their only other solution is to hike the prices sky high. People usually don't respond well to that, so the last option is to axe the routes that cost them money.
I mean they're not altruistic
Doesn't matter the airline they are all shit.
Qantas right now have disruptions to their live chat and phone services. It's been like that for two weeks now. How the (profanity) do I contact someone?
I won't be touching Rex for the same reason, I have plenty of family in "regional" areas impacted by this, they aren't the saints many think.
Just take a look at their latest complaint to the ACCC that Qantas wants to introduce competition to some regional routes, they aren't happy about that, but they want to introduce flights to regional areas where Qantas is, and in their minds, that is perfectly fine. Good write up about this in the AFR. John Sharp, their CEO is like Gerry Harvey in every way.
Is this another lot of 100,000 seats or the same from about a month or so ago when they started selling tickets? It has been at $79 (or occasionally possibly less) ever since they started selling tickets for the route. It's a bit concerning for them if they still can't flog off their seats at that price.
Unsure, they had a sale for $49, and this sale started March 1st, but without seeing their records it's a little hard to know. The apparent claim is a new set.
I thought $79 was the normal price, and $49 was the promo price??
I thought $79 was the normal price
It is.
Then how come this thread says the $79 is limited to 100,000 tickets?
They've only printed 100,000 tickets perhaps?
because jv is either incorrect, or the ACCC should get involved. They state on their page: " *Fares are bound by Promo fare rules. Book via rex.com.au. Payment Method Surcharge and Booking/Handling Fee apply. Book early, limited Promo Fares per flight. Promotion will continue until 100,000 Promo Fares sold. Rex reserves the right to modify, cancel and limit any promotions or offers at any time. ".
So from that, $79 is a promo fare, and not a regular price.
The ACCC LMAO! Most useless Dept yet.
That's because the Advisory Committee on Climate Change is dominated by left wing loonies…
@beatthatflight: They’re not claiming a saving, they’re only implying one. This is how companies get away with stupid RRPs. You start getting in trouble when you say “save $30” when it’s not true.
Nope, $79 is not the normal price, it is a promo price for 100,000 seats at this price until gone :)
What kind of onboard entertainment do Rex have?
just the other passengers and crew, for now.
Half mile high club?
Maybe the solo half mile high club.
And everyone gets to watch
this promotion should be called "CORONA SPREAD"
In a way, it is great to see the remnants of Ansett returning to the Sydney-Melbourne route.
remnants of Ansett
Will they bring back their motto, "Chance it with Ansett" I wonder?
Flew Sydney to Melbourne with them last night, unfortunately flight was delayed 90 minutes without any warning or communication from the airline staff :/
I don't fly particularly often so not sure how normal that is
It's because the plane broke down. Rex don't have any spares like Qantas/Virgin do, so when they break your fooked.
Far from normal. But REX have a shortage of planes so have cancelled a few of this week's flights. With so few aircraft there's a high risk of cancellation or delays, like you used to have with Tiger. Whereas Virgin and Qantas are more reliable.
I believe they cancelled not because of lack of planes. It’s the lack of passengers, thus cancelling flights and consolidating everyone to a few services.
Grab the discount tickets while they last. Rex's jet fleet won't be around long.
Checking flights with Virgin and they seem to be $79 as well, plus you have the option of selecting your seat, and unlimited date changes. May be worth checking this first.
Never use REX before
How is REX experience compare to Jetstar, Virgin or Qantas?
I believe $79 mark is close to price of Jetstar?
Jetstar's about half that price on sale at present, for the right day.
However, that wouldn't include checked luggage, for example, which the other three do.
How is REX experience compare to Jetstar, Virgin or Qantas?
REX have better customer service.
Haha, couldn't agree less.
Virgin and Qantas put Rex to shame in my experience unless they have upped their game since 1st March?
Their lounge is also like sitting in a coffee shop, it's very small and outdated (if you use this), if not it doesn't matter I guess.
Haha, couldn't agree less.
https://www.rex.com.au/AboutRex/OurCompany/overview.aspx
Rex is often complimented on the warmth and hospitality of its front line staff. The Company considers this is because its staff are committed to and enjoy their work, feel part of a “family” culture and subscribe to the Company’s values.
@jv: Haha, yes, a company written overview, always an accurate indication of true service, it wouldn't read this from ANY airline.
I'm surprised they didn't say anything bad about their own service :/
Haha, yes, a company written overview
That's how they differentiate their business from their competitors… Country hospitality…
Are you saying they fall short on their promise?
Rex includes checked baggage & a snack/meal and drink
Virgin has always included checked-in luggage on all flight classes, at least 23KG, more if you are silver, gold or platinum.
Snacks are returning to Virgin shortly, they had ceased their contract with the catering company but have now signed a new deal. In their media release a few days ago on their website.
You might be thinking of Jetstar, which costs to add checked-in baggage.
Yeah from a price perspective I balk at booking with Virgin, so much more expensive.
@starspawn: Then you should be looking at Jetstar if you want budget flights as they are always going to be the cheapest, long term, as they have a completely different business model.
But as far as these new Rex routes, Virgin is the exact same price as Rex for all the Jet routes Rex is doing, so you know, welcome to competition!
If you look at regional routes, Rex was always more expensive than Virgin when Virgin had more regional routes.
I used to fly to Mildura from Melbourne and never paid more than $99 each way with Virgin, with Rex I could never get it for less than $179 each way.
So you know, supply, demand, competition.
Virgin has always included checked-in luggage on all flight classes
Not between Jan 2013 and March 2015 on domestic flights.
The introduction of Saver Lite fares with no checked baggage was trumpeted as providing cheaper fares. They were typically $10-30 less from memory, depending on the route.
The later removal of Saver Lite was portrayed as VA providing 'free' checked baggage on all fares. You simply didn't have the option of buying the cheaper fare without it.
Some short-haul international fares continued to have options with no checked baggage beyond 2015.
From my experience as a regular regional flyer, terrible. But hey, at this price you might want to try? Although Virgin matches their pricing when they have promos (so far).
I just booked yesterday at $49 each way, is that deal over?