Regional Express (Rex) has today operated its inaugural service between Cairns and Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) airport (Bamaga), ending three months of uncertainty for the NPA community. The new Rex service between Cairns and NPA airport operates each week day with morning services Monday and Tuesday, and afternoon services Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (see attached timetable).

Rex General Manager Network Strategy and Sales, Warrick Lodge has also given further details of Rex's expansion plans for Far North Queensland; "The NPA service launched today is the start of a commitment by the Rex Group to bring safe, reliable and affordable air services to remote and regional communities who depend upon sustainable regional air services. This is our way of recognising the significant trust placed in the company by the Queensland State Government through the recently awarded regulated routes."

"The Rex Board has set aside a considerable budget to fulfil this commitment and we will explore all viable propositions from any community that wants to work in partnership with Rex as was showcased today in our collaboration with the NPA council.” 

Mr Lodge continued, "Since Rex's commencement of the regulated Gulf route on 1 January this year, we have been approached by businesses and individual travellers from Cairns wanting direct flights to Mount Isa. This critical air service link has been lost for over three months. Today I am pleased to announce that Rex will commence a direct Regular Public Transport (RPT) service between Cairns and Mount Isa with effect from Monday 25 May 2015. This will allow business travellers from Cairns to spend a full day in Mount Isa before returning home late evening."

"Rex will initially base three aircraft in Cairns from 25 May and is prepared to increase the fleet as new opportunities arise in the new financial year. We invite the communities in the Cape region as well as elsewhere in North Queensland to contact us if they believe that they have a case for a viable air service."

"The expansion of Rex services from Cairns on the back of the regulated routes of North Queensland has resulted in Rex investing heavily in infrastructural support in far North Queensland. Rex will open a new crew base in Cairns and has also entered into an agreement to purchase the MRO company AVIEX from 1 July 2015. AVIEX is a significant engineering facility with about 5,500 sqm. of hangar space and has vast and versatile engineering capabilities to service and maintain the Saab 340, ATR 42/72, Dash 8 series including Q400, Metroliners, KingAir 200/350 and other aircraft types operated by Rex and other airlines."

With immediate effect, reservations for the new direct Rex services between Cairns to Mount Isa are available for sale via www.rex.com.au, 13 17 13 or your local travel agent.

Please refer to the attached annex for the detailed Rex timetables for the Cairns - Mount Isa and Cairns – NPA direct services.

Regional Express (Rex) is Australia's largest independent regional airline operating a fleet of more than 40 Saab 340 aircraft on some 1,300 weekly flights to 53 destinations throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland. The Rex Group comprises Regional Express, air freight and charter operator Pel-Air Aviation and Dubbobased regional airline Air Link, as well as the pilot academy Australian Airline Pilot Academy.