Rex Says Their Passengers Don't Need Airport Security Screening

Regional Express Airlines (Rex) suggests that removing airport security screening for its flights departing Armidale poses no more risk to passengers than hopping on a bus or train. The airline operates to around 60 domestic destinations, with the vast majority of those regional towns. On these routes, Rex deploys its aging Saab 340 turboprops which now have an average airframe age of over 29 years, with some aircraft entering service as early as 1989. Rex has fitted their Saab 340 fleet to cater for 30 to 36 economy passengers.

Under existing Federal Government regulations, airport security screening is not required for aircraft with fewer than 40 seats. It’s a rule smaller airlines like Rex love, as they can avoid the security screening charge per passenger, a fee that is typically passed on to customers.

It’s a topic that has made headlines of late, as Rex recently cut its Adelaide to Whyalla services. The blame was on the Federal Government, which stopped picking up Rex’s security bill on the route. From July 1st, the transport screening cost of $35 per passenger was to be paid by Rex if they continued the service.

“The significant additional security cost makes the Whyalla to Adelaide route unviable for Rex and as a result of Council’s decision Rex has no option but to exit,” says Rex’s General Manager of Network Strategy, Warrick Lodge.

More recently, the regional airline praised Armidale Airport’s latest refurbishment that has established an alternative departure gate for flights not requiring security screening. The new departure gate is now operational and allows Rex to completely avoid security checks for its passengers and their belongings.

In announcing the unscreened gate last month, Armidale Mayor Sam Coupland said that local ratepayers should not be the ones to subsidise national security screening costs.

“Other regional airports affected by the federal funding withdrawal have not been able to juggle the operational logistics as easily. Rex and Link Airways were offered the opportunity for their passengers to be screened, albeit this came at a cost,” he said.

Rex’s National Airports Manager, David Brooksby, described Armidale’s approach as enlightened, saying it was “the only way to ensure that passengers of airlines like Rex do not need to pay an additional charge to subsidise the screening cost.”

“Otherwise, it [Armidale] will experience what [the] Whyalla community will be experiencing in the coming days,” he added.

But it wouldn’t be a Rex media release without a dig at Qantas, with Brooksby suggesting the Whyalla Council “foolishly wanted to curry favour with Qantas” who would “revert to what it has always done when it has a monopoly.”

Qantas will fill the gap left by Rex, adding four additional weekly services between Adelaide and Whyalla.