Rex said today all of the airline’s frontline, customer-facing staff would be required to be fully
vaccinated against COVID-19 by 1 November 2021, the first Australian airline to achieve that goal. This would include company employees working at check-in and all pilots and cabin crew across its regional and domestic networks.
Passengers on Rex flights can be reassured that the compulsory staff vaccination policy will
mean that they will be travelling in the safest possible circumstances.
The move follows initial consultations with various unions, workplace health and safety
representatives and staff. These consultations will continue as the new policy is formulated.
Prior to the consultations, Rex conducted a survey of all its staff, to which an unprecedented 90% responded. The results of the survey show that, even without the mandatory requirement for vaccination, about 90% of the entire workforce would have already voluntarily been vaccinated by the deadline of 1 November 2021. The full details of the survey are:
- 59% already fully vaccinated;
- 31% had either received their first vaccination or had booked an appointment to be
vaccinated;
- 8% not sure about vaccination; and
- 2% opposed to vaccination for medical or other reasons.
“We have a duty of care to both our passengers and staff to provide the safest possible
environment,” Rex Deputy Chairman, the Hon John Sharp AM, said.
“As we provide an essential service operating to regional centres and remote communities
throughout Australia, it is incumbent upon us to do whatever we can to help those residents
remain safe and healthy.”
“As the survey shows, Rex staff has overwhelmingly embraced this responsibility and has done its part to keep the nation safe. On behalf of the Board, I congratulate them for their contribution to keeping everyone safer.”
“Rex has always been the leader in keeping its passengers safe and healthy. As early as April last year, we mandated the wearing of masks onboard. The other carriers did not have the courage to do so until the Federal Government had to step in six months later to make this a regulatory requirement. Similarly, today Rex will be leading the industry by having all its crew and frontline staff fully vaccinated by November.”
Mr Sharp said Rex would offer the small number of unvaccinated frontline staff non customer-facing roles wherever available. Unvaccinated office staff will be required to wear a mask while at work.
Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 60 Saab 340 and six Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to 62 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator) and the two pilot academies, Australian Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.
