❓ Shadow Minister Rundle questions the Minister for Transport about Rex Airlines' reliability on regional WA routes. The Minister acknowledges issues but defends Rex's performance relative to other airlines and outlines steps taken to improve communication and capacity.
AnsweredQoN 525Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REX AIRLINES — INTRASTATE AIR ROUTES
525. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Transport:
I, too, as shadow Minister
for Sport and Recreation on behalf of the opposition wish the Matildas all the
best for tonight.
I refer to the recent announcement that Rex Airlines has been
awarded for five years exclusive rights to operate on select regional Western Australian
routes, which are fully regulated by the state government, including routes
between Perth and Albany, Esperance, Carnarvon and Monkey Mia.
(1) Noting the
concerning trend of significant delays and unreliability of services provided,
what specific time lines and measures have been put in place to ensure that Rex
Airlines complies with its obligations to provide residents, medical
professionals, and accommodation and tourism providers with a service they can rely
on?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house what steps
she will take as minister if Rex Airlines fails to meet its obligations?
525. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Transport:
I, too, as shadow Minister
for Sport and Recreation on behalf of the opposition wish the Matildas all the
best for tonight.
I refer to the recent announcement that Rex Airlines has been
awarded for five years exclusive rights to operate on select regional Western Australian
routes, which are fully regulated by the state government, including routes
between Perth and Albany, Esperance, Carnarvon and Monkey Mia.
(1) Noting the
concerning trend of significant delays and unreliability of services provided,
what specific time lines and measures have been put in place to ensure that Rex
Airlines complies with its obligations to provide residents, medical
professionals, and accommodation and tourism providers with a service they can rely
on?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house what steps
she will take as minister if Rex Airlines fails to meet its obligations?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2)
I find the whole issue of aviation deeply interesting. During COVID we saw a lot
of airlines struggle. Post COVID we are now seeing a massive bounce back in
travel around the world, across the nation and within WA. As a result, many
airlines have been struggling with getting pilots back in their planes and also
with aircraft availability. As a result, all airlines, whether people have
experienced this nationally, internationally or domestically, have had a level
of cancellations and some on-time performance, whether departures or arrivals, has not been what is expected. It is an issue
across the economy and the aircraft sector.
In relation to areas that only one
flight, or aircraft, services, any issues of cancellation and on-time performance are exacerbated because people do not
have another choice. I understand and respect the views from many in
Albany, in particular, and Esperance and the representatives from those areas.
The member for Albany and Hon Shelley Payne have raised some of the community's concerns with Rex's
performance . But in looking and considering the independent assessment
of the tender process, I asked to look at the cancellation
rates and the on-time performance rates of this airline compared with others
operating in WA . It is not the worst. In some cases, its on-time
performance or cancellation rates are a lot lower than others. Its on-time
performance is comparable to others.
Mr R.S. Love : On those particular routes, though?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is the only ones flying those
routes.
Mr R.S. Love : You are talking about national things,
are you?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No, I am talking about on-time
performance and cancellation statistics in WA.
As I said, Rex is not the worst. In some cases it is the top
one or two in relation to its performance. I will say, the problem in these
ports is that it is the only service, so people feel the impact of any
cancellation because there are no other services. I understand the community
concern.
In WA we have had, in a sense, an immature aviation market.
We are trying to create more activity across WA. The good thing is that our
airfare cap scheme is seeing more activity. As I outlined yesterday, under the
airfare cap scheme, 151 000 flights have been booked. If we look at the level
of activity across WA, intrastate activity is actually up. There is more
activity and more people are flying in WA now than ever because of the cap
scheme. There is massive demand on pilots and aircraft.
I think the member for North West
Central highlighted that in some of these markets, there was only one tenderer. I would say that that is the number one
point. We can have either no service or this service. The second point is that I spoke directly to the managing director about a couple of things, including
its communication. I think it needs to communicate better, in particular when there
is a cancellation or a performance issue. It needs a better presence and better
communication in WA. I have spoken to the managing director, and I understand
that senior executives will be coming to WA in the next two weeks to inform
themselves better about how they should communicate.
We talked about capacity and
contingency. In many instances, if there is a maintenance issue with an
aircraft, an airline wants to have
redundancy and another aircraft to fly. It has also purchased, over the past
six months, a fly-in fly-out charter, and it has now purchased another
charter that will help expand capacity in the Carnarvon route, for example.
That will also provide some redundancy in its network.
Rex
is also working to attract more pilots. I think it has hired 60 additional
pilots, and it is giving priority to WA services ahead of over-east
services. With all those considerations and because of the decision-making of
the independent assessment panel, Rex has held onto those areas.
I have a view that the more services
and airlines we have operating in WA, in particular in regional WA, the better.
I have a view that we have to increase the number of people flying and support
more services across the state because I believe that air services play a key
role in WA. That is why we are creating subsidised airfares and will continue
to work with airlines.
Going forward, there are targets for
on-time performance and cancellations, as well as direct communication. I will
say that Rex's performance is in line with the market, and I am not
about to basically cut from WA an airline that sometimes is the only airline
willing to service some of our communities.
The SPEAKER : I will note
that, given the time, this will be the last question, given that I want to get
on to private members' business.
(1)–(2)
I find the whole issue of aviation deeply interesting. During COVID we saw a lot
of airlines struggle. Post COVID we are now seeing a massive bounce back in
travel around the world, across the nation and within WA. As a result, many
airlines have been struggling with getting pilots back in their planes and also
with aircraft availability. As a result, all airlines, whether people have
experienced this nationally, internationally or domestically, have had a level
of cancellations and some on-time performance, whether departures or arrivals, has not been what is expected. It is an issue
across the economy and the aircraft sector.
In relation to areas that only one
flight, or aircraft, services, any issues of cancellation and on-time performance are exacerbated because people do not
have another choice. I understand and respect the views from many in
Albany, in particular, and Esperance and the representatives from those areas.
The member for Albany and Hon Shelley Payne have raised some of the community's concerns with Rex's
performance . But in looking and considering the independent assessment
of the tender process, I asked to look at the cancellation
rates and the on-time performance rates of this airline compared with others
operating in WA . It is not the worst. In some cases, its on-time
performance or cancellation rates are a lot lower than others. Its on-time
performance is comparable to others.
Mr R.S. Love : On those particular routes, though?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is the only ones flying those
routes.
Mr R.S. Love : You are talking about national things,
are you?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No, I am talking about on-time
performance and cancellation statistics in WA.
As I said, Rex is not the worst. In some cases it is the top
one or two in relation to its performance. I will say, the problem in these
ports is that it is the only service, so people feel the impact of any
cancellation because there are no other services. I understand the community
concern.
In WA we have had, in a sense, an immature aviation market.
We are trying to create more activity across WA. The good thing is that our
airfare cap scheme is seeing more activity. As I outlined yesterday, under the
airfare cap scheme, 151 000 flights have been booked. If we look at the level
of activity across WA, intrastate activity is actually up. There is more
activity and more people are flying in WA now than ever because of the cap
scheme. There is massive demand on pilots and aircraft.
I think the member for North West
Central highlighted that in some of these markets, there was only one tenderer. I would say that that is the number one
point. We can have either no service or this service. The second point is that I spoke directly to the managing director about a couple of things, including
its communication. I think it needs to communicate better, in particular when there
is a cancellation or a performance issue. It needs a better presence and better
communication in WA. I have spoken to the managing director, and I understand
that senior executives will be coming to WA in the next two weeks to inform
themselves better about how they should communicate.
We talked about capacity and
contingency. In many instances, if there is a maintenance issue with an
aircraft, an airline wants to have
redundancy and another aircraft to fly. It has also purchased, over the past
six months, a fly-in fly-out charter, and it has now purchased another
charter that will help expand capacity in the Carnarvon route, for example.
That will also provide some redundancy in its network.
Rex
is also working to attract more pilots. I think it has hired 60 additional
pilots, and it is giving priority to WA services ahead of over-east
services. With all those considerations and because of the decision-making of
the independent assessment panel, Rex has held onto those areas.
I have a view that the more services
and airlines we have operating in WA, in particular in regional WA, the better.
I have a view that we have to increase the number of people flying and support
more services across the state because I believe that air services play a key
role in WA. That is why we are creating subsidised airfares and will continue
to work with airlines.
Going forward, there are targets for
on-time performance and cancellations, as well as direct communication. I will
say that Rex's performance is in line with the market, and I am not
about to basically cut from WA an airline that sometimes is the only airline
willing to service some of our communities.
The SPEAKER : I will note
that, given the time, this will be the last question, given that I want to get
on to private members' business.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.