Travel Minister supports Rex slots, orders SYD to ditch ‘use it or lose it’ rule

Australia’s Minister of Transport Catherine King has directed Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) to support Rex’s regional slots amid its administration process.

In a statement released on August 26, 2024, King said that she had ordered SYD Airport to suspend the application of its ‘use it or lose it’ policy on Rex’s regional New South Wales (NSW) slot holdings for the current and upcoming scheduling season. 

Under the airport’s 80/20 rule, also known as the ‘use it or lose it rule’, airlines must use 80% of their allocated slots or risk losing them. 

According to King, the suspension of this policy will protect Rex’s NSW regional slots at Sydney Airport until late March 2026.

“While this direction is in place, I expect Rex to hand back any slots that it does not intend to use for other airlines to operate in the upcoming scheduling season,” King commented. “This will ensure other airline operators are not deprived of the ability to use unutilised slots.”

An announcement about Rex pic.twitter.com/cSZPSwgD8A— Catherine King MP (@CatherineKingMP) August 15, 2024On August 15, 2024, King released an official statement saying that the government will guarantee regional flight bookings for Rex customers while the airline undergoes its voluntary administration process.

“Rex’s continuation is in the best interests of Australia–and the Government is working closely with the administrators to ensure a strong regional aviation presence now and into the future,” King said.

Rex enters voluntary administration; Qantas, Virgin salvage staff, routes, jets

AirlinesbyJean Carmela LimJuly 31, 2024

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