Now that Bonza's planes have been deported, Australia's domestic airline market is down to four main players, and only three of them, Qantas, Rex and Virgin Australia, have business class on their domestic flights. While the aircraft, cabins, seats and catering are pretty much identical, there is a clear winner in the value-for-money category, and . Based on my travel in Australia, the profile of domestic business class passengers has changed markedly in the post-COVID era.
Cabins that were once the preserve of suited business travelers have morphed into a mixed bunch of customers, including leisure travelers and older passengers who may well have retired from the nine-to-five grind but like the extra comfort up the pointy end. That means more people are paying for their own tickets, and the exorbitantly high business class fares on and Virgin Australia have pushed most corporate guests into economy seats. While Zoom has not entirely done away with interstate travel, the general awareness of the need to travel that emerged during the pandemic has also changed the cross-section of people in those roomier seats.
When I write about new routes or services, I check the prices, and I am genuinely amazed at how much cheaper a business class seat is on a Rex 737 than on the same aircraft operated by Qantas and Virgin Australia. It made me wonder if Rex was somehow cutting corners, dropping meal quality or service standards to match the lower cost, so I went on a flight to find out. I.
