Meanwhile the cloud over Rex's future has regional WA communities on edge. For many people in Carnarvon, Albany and Esperance the news has come as a shock as Rex is the only airline that provides flights to Perth.
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00:00News of the airline hitting financial turbulence is causing distress in the regions.
00:10For David Gee, a regular flight is essential for his weekly medical treatment.
00:15It will be pretty bad for me. I have to travel every week for health reasons.
00:21For the 63,000 Albany passengers travelling on wrecks to Perth each year, the alternatives
00:27to flying are limited.
00:29There's no other public transport. Buses take 12 hours, there's no train.
00:33The more access we have for visitors and for the local residents means our town will grow
00:38and prosper, so I think it will have a big impact.
00:41Wrecks also provides a lifeline for Carnarvon families whose children go to school in Perth.
00:47When the school holidays are on, the plane that comes up is absolutely chock-a-block
00:51full of school kids.
00:52Last year, Wrecks renewed its service contract for a further five years to fly as a sole
00:58carrier from Carnarvon, Albany and Esperance. It was the only airline to tender for the
01:04sectors after receiving a $3 million grant from the state government in 2020.
01:14We have to wait and see what that impact means for Albany and whether we need the state government
01:19to step up and find a solution for us if there needs to be a solution.
01:24WA Transport Minister Rita Safioti is seeking urgent discussions with her federal counterpart.
01:31Unfortunately there seems to be something very significant that's happening. We're seeking
01:35further clarifications.
01:37Nervous WA communities hoping for the best.