Rex announces impending stand-downs ahead of anticipated $18m loss

Rex has revealed that it will introduce “temporary stand-downs” of staff later this week as its full-year loss for 2021 was revised down from $15m to $18m. It’s rumoured that hundreds of staff across the airline’s network could be affected, with the employees supporting Rex’s new Boeing 737 operations expected to be hit the hardest. In an announcement posted to the ASX on Tuesday, Rex said that ongoing lockdowns and border closures across Australia’s most populous states of NSW and Victoria had “significantly impacted revenue”. The airline added that “no measures were taken initially to mitigate the losses as the lockdown [in NSW] was perceived as temporary and of short duration”. The news comes just days after Rex criticised rival Qantas for announcing it would stand down 2,500 staff across its Qantas and Jetstar brands, with Rex deputy chairman John Sharp calling the decision “premature”.<br/>