REX - Regional Express

rexnews Routes Remain For Five Years Rex retains all its current NSW licensed routes for another five years. Rex has been awarded all eight NSW intrastate Air Transport Licences, which it is currently holding as the incumbent airline operator. This confers on Rex the sole right to continue to operate these routes for the next licence period of March 2013 to March 2018. Rex's General Manager Network Strategy and Sales, Warrick Lodge, said, "Rex has serviced most of these routes for the past 10 years and the renewal of the licences demonstrates that Rex is the preferred partner of the bush, based on our record of safe and reliable services at fair prices. "While Rex is the biggest beneficiary of the NSW licensed route regime, we have called on the NSW Government, just as we did five years ago when the licences were last awarded, to discontinue this route licence regime, as we believe that such a scheme distorts free competition without achieving any practical outcomes." The licensed NSW routes awarded to Rex are: • Moruya to Sydney • Broken Hill to Sydney • Narrandera to Sydney • Grafton to Sydney • Parkes to Sydney • Merimbula to Sydney • Taree to Sydney Image: Bidgee, Wagga Wagga Heritage Centre • Bathurst to Sydney 190 diplomas awarded As part of the Australian Government's Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP) the Rex Board has approved the sponsorship of 190 pilots from the Rex Group to obtain a Diploma in Aviation. The EBPPP program commenced in September 2010 with 130 places. In June 2011 the Rex Board approved a further budget for 60 diplomas. The first diploma was issued in September 2010 and the last diploma was awarded to First Officer Elliot Wells in November 2012. General Manager Flight Operations and Chief Pilot Neville Howell said, "We are pleased to have been part of this process by providing an opportunity for personal development in obtaining a Diploma in Aviation. I would like to congratulate our successful pilots on this achievement." With the huge success of this program, the Rex Board has approved the budget for 50 more diplomas to be issued. VII

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