Thursday May 8, 09:01 AM

More cuts as pilot shortage bites

Regional Express will further cut its services - including an indefinite suspension of Snowy Mountains flights - due to a pilot shortage.

Rex claims to have experienced five percent attrition in its pilot ranks during April alone, with the attrition rate for this financial year tracking above 50 percent.

The independent airline said the departures are due to the demand for pilots outstripping supply in airlines across Australia.

Rex had hoped to recommence its Sydney-Cooma (Snowy Mountains) flights on June 6.

When we announced our decision to suspend the summer schedule for Cooma, we were counting on a lessening of the recruitment activities of the major carriers over the winter period to enable us to resume it in winter. Unfortunately this was not to be, Rex General Manager Network Strategy and Sales, Warrick Lodge, said.

The continued high attrition rate means that our flight schedules remain vulnerable to last minute sickness of the flight crew. We believe that the responsible course of action is to reduce the flight schedule, which will provide us with more reserve pilots and in turn will translate into a reduction of last minute flight cancellations, he said.

Flight reductions will also be made to several other Rex routes, including Adelaide-Mount Gambier, Melbourne-Mount Gambier, Melbourne-Mildura, Melbourne-Albury and Sydney-Griffith.

The airline said the latest cuts would reduce its planned flying activities by about three percent. - Travelpress travel news