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Regional carrier Sharp Airlines says it could double its capacity between Melbourne and Tasmania’s King Island if Rex is unable to meet demand.
The airline has commenced its summer schedule, which triples its Melbourne–King Island services to nine per week; it also flies return between King Island and Burnie/Launceston 12 times per week.
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In a statement, Sharp said it is in a “strategic hold” as it waits to see what will happen with Rex but has acquired additional aircraft and flight crew, and “is well prepared to fill the gap in providing services to King Island should Rex fail”.
“We note that Rex does not provide any airline services to Flinders Island from either Melbourne or Tasmania,” a spokesperson said.
“Sharp Airlines has been the sole airline servicing Flinders Island for over 14 years (with up to 18 return services per week). This track record clearly demonstrates Sharp’s ability to step up and service King Island in a similar fashion.
“Rex’s lack of commitment to the King Island community was clearly demonstrated prior to their voluntary administration where direct services to Melbourne were provided on an ad-hoc basis with their focus appearing to be primarily on the failed 737 Jet operation.
“We certainly have the capacity to nearly double the frequency to Melbourne should Rex exit the market, increasing our current seat offering from 300 to 600 seats per week. This capacity would fully meet the needs of King Island from our experience.”
Sharp Airlines has a history of conflict with Rex, accusing the larger airline in 2020 of muscling in on a route between Wynyard and King Island.
The smaller carrier did, however, call in July for the federal government to support Rex even as it accused Rex of “aggressive fare pricing and tactics” against smaller operators like itself, noting that “this type of behaviour has obviously been unsustainable for Rex”.
“During COVID Rex was a major beneficiary of the $100m Regional Airlines Funding Assistance (‘last resort’ funding), following which it then entered the East Coast domestic market with its Boeing 737 operation,” the airline said.
“We understand it’s like ‘shooting Bambi’ but the Government also needs to understand that we operate in a free economy and to prop up one operator at the expense of another creates an unlevel playing field and is simply bad economics.
“To be clear Sharp Airlines is not asking for assistance as we have a well-established and successful business, but we are just asking the Albanese Government for a fair go.”
Sharp operates 23 Metroliner turboprop aircraft servicing five states.
