Regional Express airline has been given more funding relief from Orange City Council to help ensure it keeps flying to Orange.
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In a closed meeting last week council agreed to defer the payment of landing fees due to be paid by the airline.
CEO David Waddell said councillors agreed to defer 50 per cent of the payment due until the end of the financial year.
"Council [resolved] to accept Rex returning to full advertised landing fees and charges," he said.
"In exchange council will defer half of the current debt to be paid in full in the 2020-21 financial year."
Mayor Cr Reg Kidd said it followed a request by Rex for further assistance.
Council will defer half of the current debt to be paid in full in the 2020-21 financial year.
- David Waddell, CEO, Orange City Council
Rex's services have been cut back to two return flights from Sydney to Orange a week which are funded by the federal government as part of its coronavirus relief assistance.
Last month council agreed to lower landing fees until June and explore other incentives to help Rex.
The council resolved to lower the fees for Rex until June 30 by 70 per cent, noting the carrier was "supporting essential air travel services."
It followed a plea from Rex for councils to help it out.
Council will also seek information from Qantas about when it will start Sydney-Orange flights.
The airline was due to start QantasLink services on May 1, however it has suspended flights due to the coronavirus.
In February it announced QantasLink would fly 11 return flights between Orange and Sydney on a mix of Q300 and Q200 aircraft.
It said that would add more than 45,000 seats on the route each year.
Both Rex and Qantas now require passengers to wear masks while flying.
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