REX has been declared the Airline of the Year at the inaugural Australian Aviation Awards for 2022 organised in partnership with UNSW. The judges recognised Rex’s resilience, adaptability, flexibility, innovation and growth while keeping regional towns and major cities connected during a time of unprecedented adversity in aviation.
The judges noted that Rex has been able to not just survive, but thrive, where other airlines have failed. Not only does the introduction of Rex’s domestic trunk services bring another competitor to Aussie skies, keeping fares low, but provides passengers seamless connectivity to its regional network. The airline’s renowned customer-focused hospitality has also proven a strong point of difference throughout the pandemic, and now during the post-pandemic travel boom.
The award was presented at a gala dinner in Sydney in front of several hundred guests including many of the industry’s leading lights. Accepting the award, Chief Operating Officer, Neville Howell, paid special tribute to the leadership of the airline’s Executive Chairman, Lim Kim Hai and the efforts of Rex’s 1650 staff.
“Kim Hai has steered us through some very stormy waters. It’s been very, very tough and he knows as well as I, you can’t do it by yourself – you need good people. “And we are very fortunate at Rex to have fantastic baggage handlers that don’t lose bags, great flight crew and flight attendants, fantastic airport staff and the most magnificent people in admin – they have all helped us through this difficult period.
“So to them, this is for them, they’ve done this for us and we feel indebted to them for everything they have done for this airline,” Mr Howell said.