ALLEGED predatory practices from Qantas have led Rex Airlines to withdraw from five more regional routes, the carrier stated in an update to the Australian Securities Exchange this morning.

The carrier said that it would no longer be servicing Bathurst, Grafton, Lismore, and Kangaroo Island from 30 Jun, as well as Ballina from 02 Jul, as the capital to keep the routes viable dries up with the end of the Federal Government’s Regional Airline Network Support program.

Rex’s Deputy Chairman John Sharp said the decision to withdraw from these long-held services was an emotional but financially necessary one for the airline to undertake.

“It is with a really heavy heart that we have to announce the cessation of services in an effort to improve Rex’s financial performance,” he conceded.

Sharp also laid the blame squarely at the feet of Qantas, which he said had used its market-leading position to force Rex from the routes.

“It is unfortunate that regional communities are the collateral damage of Qantas’ bullying and heartless behaviour,” Sharp said.

“This behaviour is all the more unconscionable after receiving over $2 billion in Federal bailouts over the last two years.”

Another two unnamed services are also under review, with Rex confirming it was likely to announce further network updates in the coming months.

The news follows the shock decision last week by Rex to axe its Sydney to Canberra route by the end of this month (TD 24 May), as well as the withdrawal from the Melbourne to Albury route (TD 19 May) after close to 40 years of operation.

The post Rex pulls pin on five routes appeared first on Travel Daily.

Source: traveldaily

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) has confirmed plans to inject extra capacity into its Aussie network from next month and add new aircraft to the mix, as it reaffirms its commitment to the market.

The carrier revealed it will increase operations between Singapore and Melbourne to four times daily, while the northern hubs of Cairns and Darwin will also see frequencies increase to five times weekly.

It will be a double delight for passengers travelling to and from Darwin, with SIA also announcing it will introduce its new narrow-body Boeing 737-8 on the route from 02 Jun, delivering 154 seats across two classes (10 in Business Class and 144 in Economy).

The increase in services to the two Northern Australian destinations aligns with the region’s peak visitation period, which SIA said would “further support the recovery efforts of local tourism and travel operators” in the region.

“Increasing services to holiday destinations such as Cairns and Darwin in the lead up to peak season, shows that leisure travel is continuing to recover strongly,” the airline’s Regional VP South West Pacific Louis Arul said.

“We will continue to remain nimble to ensure Australia remains connected with the right aircraft and schedules that will further support and facilitate the continued growth in travel demand, both to and from Australia,” he added.

Since Australia’s borders reopened on 01 Nov 2021, SIA has increased services from Australia to more than 100 flights a week from seven cities.

From this month, 28 weekly services operate out of Sydney, while Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne each have 21 weekly services, and Adelaide has five.

The post SIA’s northern exposure appeared first on Travel Daily.

Source: traveldaily

A NEW premium tourist precinct, which will include a 300-bed hotel and world-class outdoor concert amphitheatre, is set to be developed for the Yarra Valley region in Victoria.

The plan arrives after Cedar Mill Group added a 100-acre site on the Maroondah Highway (pictured) to its rapidly growing property portfolio, a parcel of land the company said would be cultivated into a major tourism attraction by 2024 at a cost of over $200 million.

Blueprints for the Cedar Mill Yarra Valley project also incorporate conference & function facilities, three restaurants, 20 boutique villa units, tennis courts, a lake and gardens precinct, as well as an arts and craft village.

Cedar Mill’s parent group, Winarch Capital, said the purchase was just one of many parts in a wider plan to introduce an array of tourism developments across the country’s two most populous states.

“This strategic purchase is the beginning of our rollout of multiple sites in Victoria, as we are currently doing in NSW,” Winarch Managing Director, Paul Lambess said.

“This marks the first interstate purchase that will begin our realisation of a national and international network.

“All venues will include world-class and purpose-built amphitheatres that the Cedar Mill brand will be known for.”

The development will also seek to leverage the existing six million annual visitors who already frequent the Yarra Valley, primarily for its appeal as a premium wine tour destination.

Part of the plan will also place an emphasis on attracting high-yield tourists, which will include offering visitors upmarket goods and services through local growers and operators providing boutique goods and dining experiences.

The post $200m Yarra Valley top-up appeared first on Travel Daily.

Source: traveldaily