Federal Government takes on $50m worth of debt to keep embattled Rex Airlines flying

[Pelican Press 0]

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Federal Government takes on $50m worth of debt to keep embattled Rex Airlines flying

The Federal Government has thrown Rex Airlines another lifeline after taking on the embattled carrier’s $50 million debt from its largest creditor PAG Asia Capital.

Rex — or Regional Express Holdings — has been fighting for commercial survival after it grounded its high-cost fleet of Boeing 737 jets and called in administrators last July with more than $500m of debts.

The debt purchase, announced on Thursday, would ensure regional communities stay connected and keep access to essential medical and freight services.

“The Albanese Government is ensuring Rex Airlines regional services will continue, supporting the administrators on next steps,” Transport Minster Catherine King said in a joint statement with Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.

“By acquiring the debt, the Government will become the principal secured creditor and will seek to become a voting member of the Committee of Inspection.”

“These actions preserve important economic, medical and freight services, supporting regional liveability and regional economies.”

Rex’s administrators from Ernst & Young last year failed to find a buyer for the airline’s regional operations during the sales process.

Ms King told reporters separately on Thursday the announcement would allow EY to look for a buyer again.

“What this allows for is the administrators to undertake a second ***** process which they will start the process of doing and we’re trying to make sure we provide that with every opportunity of success,” she said.

It marks the second lifeline from the Government, which late last year provided Rex with an $80m commercial loan to keep regional routes operating until June, cover early entitlements for former workers and guarantee tickets for regional routes.

The *********** Securities and Investments Commission in December announced it would sue Rex and four of its directors over continuous disclosure breaches for failing to reveal a $35 million shortfall until days before the financial year ended.

The regulator is attempting to have the directors disqualified over alleged corporate governance failures.

The *********** Competition and Consumer Commission last year revealed travellers have been paying a whopping 95 per cent more for major domestic flights since Rex collapsed.

The airline’s collapse last July came less than three months after Gold Coast-based rival Bonza crashed and four years after Virgin fell into administration at the depths of the COVID-19 crisis.

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