Rex takes fight to Qantas and Virgin [Jets for REX?]

[Zac M]

8JS? Is this the the next 737? Or something else for NJS? I thought I read the next B737 was -8ZL

[Stirling D]

Next 737

[Tom PER]

-8ZL (?) undertook a 2:24hr test flight today SIN-SIN under her 9V-MGB rego, I saw her parked outside the hangars at Changi last week in the same livery as -8KH.

[Steve S... 2]

According to planespotters.net 9V-MGB is to become VH-8JS.

[Dylan Hardie]

8ZL is looking to be aircraft number 10 which they are aiming to have here by end of the year pending all goes well

[James Smith]

Do you know whether 8ZL will be an ex-Silkair B738, Dylan?

[Tom PER]

8ZL is looking to be aircraft number 10 which they are aiming to have here by end of the year pending all goes well

I did hear REX were ‘kicking the tyres’ on some additional SQ 738’s, I have the 9V regos they looked at but won’t post until confirmed.

For anyone interested search ‘Nilsky’ on YouTube he posted a short vlog up on the inaugural HBA-MEL flight on -8KH.

[Dylan Hardie]

NJE's new Q400 will fly in from Calgary to Wagga for painting

[Stirling D]

VH-8JS John Sharp? Added to the register 20/9.

[James Smith]

Yes, JS for John Sharp. Following in the established tradition of Reginald Myles Ansett, RMA, Brett Godfrey, BZG and possibly others. I thought that CZA was named after one of Ansett's wives but not correct. From memory I think Catherine Zara but his two wives had very different names, according to Wikipedia.

It'll be interesting to see if any of the new QANTAS fleet is named after Alan Joyce. :) Joyce Drive at Mascot as not named after him but Alderman Frank Joyce. ;)

[MarkR]

It'll be interesting to see if any of the new QANTAS fleet is named after Alan Joyce. :) Joyce Drive at Mascot as not named after him but Alderman Frank Joyce. ;)

He will be lucky to get the wastewater truck named after him

[Greg Hyde]

VH-8JS John Sharp? Added to the register 20/9.

Interesting to see if the a/c is named when it arrives ?

We await 8ZL.

[Rowan McKeever]

He will be lucky to get the wastewater truck named after him

Maybe he'll get a toilet service truck named after him...

[lloyd fox]

Showing on Flightaware as RXA 9967 into BNE tonight from SIN.ETA 2132 hrs.

[Dylan Hardie]

Do you know whether 8ZL will be an ex-Silkair B738, Dylan?

From what I’ve been told 9V-MGM will be number 10

[MarkR]

Meanwhile they are cutting back a vast number of country services ex Sydney due to a lack of pilots:

In a statement to the media, Rex said services would be reduced on the following NSW routes until March 31, 2024.

Sydney-Albury
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Sydney-Griffith
Sydney-Narrandera
Sydney-Orange
Sydney-Parkes
Sydney-Port Macquarie
Rex will also suspend services between Sydney and Armidale until March next year, and withdraw from the Cairns-Bamaga route in Far North Queensland.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/rex-to-scale-back-services-in-regional-nsw-qld-pilot-shortage/102891120?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

[Dylan Hardie]

From what I’ve been told 9V-MGM will be number 10

Edit that. 9V-MGM will be number 11 technically with number 10 now coming from a company in the USA that fell through.

Rumours RQG is also due to leave at the end of the lease making them back to 10

[Dylan Hardie]

RQC off to the Philippines on the 14th October for a C check via CNS

[Greg Hyde]

8JS entered service this morning with ZL367, Brisbane to Sydney

[Greg Hyde]

Rex is planning to lease an additional B737 before Xmas.

10th B737 in the fleet.

[Dylan Hardie]

Next jet is due to arrive in the second week of November. Ex GOL B737. Don’t know the rego tho

[Ryan Hothersall]

They seem to be getting aircraft from far and wide.

Good for the spotters.

[Tom PER]

They seem to be getting aircraft from far and wide.

Good for the spotters.

Was doing some research earlier and all of GOL’s 738 fleet are configured in a Y186 layout, with the exception of 40235/3053 PR-GZV which is in a C12Y156 configuration. She’s 14 years old and has a long list of operators, interestingly one of which is Jet Airways where -MFM also served.

[Dylan Hardie]

VH-8ZL due into Brisbane Sunday afternoon at this stage. Will be all white Ex PR-GUQ

[James Smith]

Thanks for that, Greg. Do we know if 9V-MGM is still being considered for lease by REX? Also, will RQC be returning to the leaser or to service with REX after its current maintenance in CRK and will RQG be returning to the leaser at the end of its lease period?

[Dylan Hardie]

RQC returns from CRK on the 14th with RYU heading up the following day. RQG will be removed when the lease is up and due to be converted to a freighter to a US company

[Dylan Hardie]

8ZL enroute to AUS. Currenlty between Goodyear and Hawaii

[Greg Hyde]

8ZL/39604 was added to the VH-Reg yesterday.

[James Smith]

8ZL enroute to AUS. Currently between Goodyear and Hawaii.

Transiting Hawaii via OGG (Kahului).

[James Smith]

B738 VH-8ZL is currently flying between OGG and NAN and after refueling is continuing onto BNE with a scheduled arrival time, according to Flightaware, of 14:49 AEST this afternoon.

[Greg Hyde]

Boeing 737 -8EH 39604 4160 VH-8ZL Rex Regional Express delivery 11dec23 GYR-OGG ex N3960D

[James Smith]

B738 VH-8ZL has just left NAN and has a revised arrival time in BNE of 16:22 AEST this afternoon. Does anyone know whether the aircraft has been painted in REX colours as yet?

[Stirling D]

B738 VH-8ZL has just left NAN and has a revised arrival time in BNE of 16:22 AEST this afternoon. Does anyone know whether the aircraft has been painted in REX colours as yet?

All white

[Dylan Hardie]

8ZL ferried to MEL this morning as ZL9973. Entering service today as ZL234/243

[Dylan Hardie]

8ZL due to head to Wagga today bound for the paint shop

[Dylan Hardie]

RQG's last day with Rex is the 29th of Feb on return to lessor. Been told heading to TSV to be painted white then stored in Alice Springs. Last flights are on the 25th ZL118/129

[MarkR]

Rex have announced today an additional three aircraft are coming, and a small loss, in he latest asx announcements.

[Lauren J]

Rex have announced today an additional three aircraft are coming, and a small loss, in he latest asx announcements.

I'm assuming these three will be 737s as well? Any idea of where they're coming from?

[MarkR]

I'm assuming these three will be 737s as well? Any idea of where they're coming from?

Three 737-800s from Singapore I believe

[Tom PER]

-8ZL is now painted in the usual REX livery with the more earthy orange paint on the tail.

As has previously been mentioned the next 3 frames are coming from SQ and at this stage it’s 9V-MGC, D and E, these are coming up for their 10year lease.

[Dylan Hardie]

RQG off to ASP today for Storage

[MarkR]

RQG off to ASP today for Storage

With all the action locally happening with 738BCF/SF demand I wonder if we will see her back in Oz post conversion?

[Dylan Hardie]

See i heard multiple things for RQG.

Originally was to become a freighter, now i've been told by engineers that it's to be scrapped in Alice Springs

[MarkR]

See i heard multiple things for RQG.

Originally was to become a freighter, now i've been told by engineers that it's to be scrapped in Alice Springs

I’d be surprised if she is scrapped unless there is some sort of major problem, given lease rates for an 18yr old 737-800 have been rising from a low of 125K a month in Q4 21 to a high of $180k in Q4 23. Freighter rates are dropping from a high if $220K in q4 21 to a low of $180K in Q4 23 or parity with the pax version, which might explain the reluctance to convert now. RQG is not 18 but close enough.

[Greg Hyde]

RQG off to ASP today for Storage

RQG was deleted from the VH-Reg on 24/04/2024 as "Cancelled - No longer to be used as an aircraft", scrapped.

[Robert.M]

Might be for spares, not unheard of that youngish airframes are being stripped of useable parts and scrapped, given with the current shortages of spare parts and new parts.

[Rowan McKeever]

Rex has announced two new routes: Perth (finally!) to both Melbourne and Adelaide.

Melbourne will be a 5x weekly service (not operating on Tuesdays or Saturdays) with B737 from 28 June. Adelaide will be a 3x weekly service (Monday, Friday and Sunday) using a NJE E190, also from 28 June.

Both media releases here:
https://rex.com.au/MediaAndPressClippings/MediaReleaseList.aspx?y=2024

[Lauren J]

Following RQG, does anyone have any insight into what the next 737s to be retired will be? I'd assume the other older -8FEs (PAG, RQC, RQP, etc.) would have their leases expire fairly soon.

Is there also any word on where the next two 737s to be introduced will come from? I believe REx mentioned there are two more on order.

[Zac M]

There’s every chance that the fleet will just be grown but if it was to be a one for one replacement with two in and two out you would expect RQC and RYU to go as they are significantly older than the other three ex VA birds.

To put it into a bit of context RYU was VOM, RQC was VOP, REX was VUU, PAG was VUV and RQP was BZG which was the last aircraft delivered in red from memory

[Greg Hyde]

Following RQG, does anyone have any insight into what the next 737s to be retired will be? I'd assume the other older -8FEs (PAG, RQC, RQP, etc.) would have their leases expire fairly soon.

Is there also any word on where the next two 737s to be introduced will come from? I believe REx mentioned there are two more on order.

Adding to Zac above.

A frames age is not the only determining factor with regard to retirement.
Other factors may include; lease cost, running cost (fuel & parts), spares availability, down-time (repairs), cycles, flight hours, time/cost of next major service ....

I expect would have a spreadsheet somewhere with these factors and more being calculated every time a new lease operator knocks on the door.

[MarkR]

I expect would have a spreadsheet somewhere with these factors and more being calculated every time a new lease operator knocks on the door.

Rex’s balance sheet is not healthy enough to court lease companies.

[Lauren J]

the next 3 frames are coming from SQ and at this stage it’s 9V-MGC, D and E, these are coming up for their 10year lease.

Are there any updates on this? I see these three are still flying for SQ

[MarkR]

Are there any updates on this? I see these three are still flying for SQ

First lease expiry is Sept

[MarkR]

Rex are ceasing the 737 operation, flights are no longer bookable online.

[Lauren J]

I really hope they work through this. Their jet operations had the best service of all.

[Ryan Hothersall]

I really hope they work through this. Their jet operations had the best service of all.

Yes I agree. When I flew on their 737s, I was more than happy with the service. Shame to see them end 737 operations.

[Tristan S]

Rex are ceasing the 737 operation, flights are no longer bookable online.

The ADL PER NJS service also not bookable.

[Lauren J]

The ADL PER NJS service also not bookable.

Likewise for BNE-CNS on the DHC-8-400