A Rex media release issued today.
Regional Express (Rex) welcomes the media release from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on 6 July, which unequivocally rejects the scurrilous allegations of a disgruntled engineer and his union that Rex has a poor safety culture: “The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has confirmed it has no current issues with the safety of REX aircraft.”
“REX maintenance engineering staff were randomly selected by CASA and interviewed. All of them said that they felt confident in reporting maintenance errors or defects, and they indicated REX operated according to ‘just culture’ principles.”
CASA has also discredited attempts by some media outlets to inflame the situation through the publication of pictures and videos of a Rex aircraft purportedly unsafe due to corrosion. The part in question, after cleaning in accordance with the manufacturers approved maintenance procedures, was found to be perfectly serviceable.
A full report was submitted to CASA, who concluded: “On the basis of an assessment of information provided by REX, CASA has no current concerns about the airworthiness of that aircraft.” Even though CASA is cognizant of, and has acknowledged, the effectiveness and high standards of Rex’s Safety Management System and Safety Culture (having audited Rex extensively five times since February 2018), CASA should be given due credit for expending enormous effort and resources, including conducting yet another audit, to carefully examine the allegations of the union and the media.
Once the media started undermining Rex’s safety credibility in public, CASA acted swiftly to gather all the facts and evidence to make a considered determination in order to promptly reassure the public of the safety of Rex’s operations. Rex owes the CASA Board, CASA Executive Management and its Director of Aviation Safety a vote of gratitude for carrying out their responsibilities as the guardian of Australian air safety without fear or favour.
CASA conducted their investigations in a prompt, comprehensive and responsible manner that should leave no doubt with regard to the safety of Rex flights in the minds of regional passengers, many of whom depend exclusively on Rex for their medical, educational and professional travelling needs.
Rex has nothing but contempt for the efforts of some media outlets to generate more sales through malicious attacks on its airline safety record based on biased and anecdotal accusations by anonymous disgruntled staff. Not only could such disgraceful acts be capable of seriously damaging Rex but it could also result in, if Rex had been forced to cease flying, many remote and rural regional communities permanently losing air services that are critical for their socio-economic needs.
Rex has no doubt that these tabloids will continue to try to sully Rex’s reputation and indeed a tabloid has yesterday already made xenophobic comments about Rex’s management. Rex will remain resolute in defending itself and will take targeted and calibrated action where necessary.
With the announcement of CASA’s definitive findings, Rex considers the matter to be closed, and Rex’s management will now be able to focus its attention exclusively to providing our passengers with a safe and reliable air service. Regional Express (Rex) is Australia’s largest independent regional airline operating a fleet of more than 50 Saab 340 aircraft on some 1,500 weekly flights to 60 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the regional airline Regional Express, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator) and the Australian Airline Pilot Academy.
