Rex slashes domestic business fares!

[MEL_Traveller]

Hot in the heels of Qantas, noticed today that Rex is now offering business class MEL-SYD v.v. for $309 each way.

I tried finding out from the call centre how long these fares will be valid, or on what routes, but it seems the call centre may now have been outsourced in anticipation of increased pax volume?

Anyway, they didn’t know the $309 was a special, or even how long it will be running for. And there’s no information I could see on the website, or on OzBargain.

But they’re there now, and I presume on other routes too? Wide open, including the Easter weekend.

Wonder if VA will follow?

 

[SeatBackForward]

It makes me wonder what's coming up, why would the airlines be doing this when they seem to have successfully raised pricing without affecting demand.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It makes me wonder what's coming up, why would the airlines be doing this when they seem to have successfully raised pricing without affecting demand.

That’s the thing with Rex though… fares started at $250… almost no takers. Then raised to $299…again, empty cabins with upgrades at the gate. Then raised - or rather ‘matched’ - to VA at $349, still with upgrades and ‘bid now’ to fill the cabin, but always fares at those lead in prices at last minute (I’ve used them several times when VA cancelled on me).

Most recently increased to $359 with the annual airfare increase. Matching VA. They haven’t matched VA in school holidays/peak where VA is now asking $399.

So rex is struggling to fill their cabins for now. Even in the VA lounge I hear people upgrading last minute. So they can’t be filling their cabins either?

 

[CaptJCool]

Me thinks post Covid WFH is causing headaches for the Premium DOMESTIV seats.
Plenty of much lower and enduring sales like prices.

Given the APS NOW has an enduring WFH arrangement I would expect domestic business travel is “not holding up”

Empty Seats are more Popular than they ever were - jokes
At least this gives plenty of scope for points upgrades !

 

[clifford]

Could it just be that many people don't have a lot of cash to throw around right now?

 

[jb747]

It makes me wonder what's coming up, why would the airlines be doing this when they seem to have successfully raised pricing without affecting demand.

I expect that they raised prices as much as they could whilst maintaining a shortage of seats. The shortage is gone but that coincides with a newly discovered shortage of passengers able to spend someone else’s money to sit up front. But, the airlines are now addicted to their higher prices. So, I presume they’ll fall back on their old position of blaming the staff, and go for some more lay offs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Rex sale until 19 April, business class just $249 each way MEL-SYD and vv (and presumably for other equivalent flights).

Economy fares not so great, still in the $100 range.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

It's interesting to see even Qantas offering $550 BNE-MEL business fares these days and Virgin around $430. This seems more in line with what we see in the USA for flights of 1 to 2 hours in the domestic first class cabins.

 

[Saab34]

Rex flights have been empty lately. I did MEL-SYD-MEL on Friday. 50 up and 50 back.

 

[muppet]

It's interesting to see even Qantas offering $550 BNE-MEL business fares these days and Virgin around $430. This seems more in line with what we see in the USA for flights of 1 to 2 hours in the domestic first class cabins.

I’ll agree its similar once I can route my MEL-BNE flight via CNS for the same price to rack up the SCs.