REX Airlines has taken another aim at Australia’s national carrier, Qantas – this time over COVID refunds

Rex, placing full-page ads in today’s newspapers accused its rival of failing to provide more than a billion dollars’ worth of refunds during the pandemic.

Rex Airlines‘ ads show dozens of social media posts from angry Qantas customers complaining about the national carrier’s refund process.

The regional Australian carrier which has recently expanded its network has spruiked its “COVID refund guarantee” policy, as a way of winning new customers. Regional Express promises to offer a full cash refund on tickets sold after April 1 to any passengers whose travel plans are disrupted because of a direct COVID-related reason, such as the current lockdowns in Melbourne, Australia.

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said the airline had also refunded every passenger who had requested their money back because of travel plans interrupted by COVID on tickets sold before April 1.

Sharp took aim at Australia’s leading airline, accusing Qantas of doing the opposite and “undermining the confidence” of passengers by “making it extremely difficult” for its passengers to get a refund.