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A Qantas spokeswoman said REX's standard approach whenever it withdrew from a route was to blame Qantas.
"REX's idea of competition is that it's something that happens to others, because they believe they have an enshrined right to be the only carrier on some regional routes," she said.
"The reality is that Qantas services have been welcomed by regional communities as providing competition and flexibility."
Qantas operates six flights per week between Albury and Melbourne (31,200 seats), while REX operates 12 flights (44,928 seats) currently and up to 17 flights pre-COVID (63,648 seats.)
The spokeswoman said Qantas was committed to the route.
"REX operates more than forty per cent more seats between Melbourne and Albury than Qantas, so we are hardly flooding the market," she said.
"We see strong growth potential in the region and have launched three new routes to and from Albury in the past two years, only one of which was also serviced by REX."
EARLIER:
Regional Express has attributed the closure of its flight path between Albury and Melbourne to Qantas flooding the market.
Border residents will have one less flight option between Albury and Melbourne after REX announced its withdrawal from the Albury-Melbourne route today, effective from May 29.
REX deputy chairman John Sharp AM said the company exited the route, which had been in operation for 39 years, with a "heavy heart".
"This route is the casualty of Qantas' illegal predatory behaviour to drive out competition in a war of attrition, knowing that its competitors do not have the balance sheet to lose money indefinitely," he said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"Pre-COVID, 22,000 passengers a year flew between Albury and Melbourne, hardly enough passengers for one carrier, let alone two.
"Qantas then entered the route - one of nine REX regional routes targeted by Qantas during the COVID pandemic - dumping an additional 31,000 seats annually into the market."
"It is with a heavy heart that we have to exit this route, after servicing it faithfully for the last 39 years.
"REX has no choice but to look after itself.
"Sadly for the community, we will soon see Qantas providing only a token service once it sees that it has achieved its objectives."
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