00:00I'm here at Port Macquarie Airport where passengers are about to board the first Rex flight of
00:06the day. With the carrier's flights operating as usual out of Port Macquarie, here's what
00:11some passengers have had to say before the flight.
00:13We need these services. It's very disappointing to wake up in the morning and go, oh my goodness,
00:19the plane may not be flying and we can't have this. And with bonds are going, we're being
00:25disadvantaged by the big companies.
00:29The news comes after Rex halted shared trading on Monday amid speculation about the airline's
00:34future. Around the country, Rex is heavily relied on, particularly in rural and remote
00:38areas where it can be the only way for doctors and other medical professionals to fly in
00:43and treat patients. We've spoken to a fly-in fly-out doctor who flies Rex twice a month
00:49from Sydney to Port Macquarie. Now, just to be clear, those services are still available
00:54but he's worried about what the future might hold if those regional flights were also grounded.
01:00We've also spoken to a few locals who have similar concerns.
01:04It's a shame because we do need more flights to different regions. The port to go up north,
01:12down south, regional areas instead of just having Qantas. It's a step back as far as
01:18people concerned in Port Macquarie and businesses. They're going to suffer.
01:22Well, my first thought was no. I love Rex. I've relied on Rex to get me to visit my family
01:29and friends in Sydney and Melbourne from the regional area. And we can't lose another airline.
01:34Residents are also frustrated after just losing budget airline Bonza, which was in more than
01:39$116 million worth of debt. In a statement posted to the Rex website late last night,
01:45Rex said it was working with Virgin to explore opportunities to support regional customers.
01:52For more UN videos visit www.un.org
Comments