REX: No lounge access for upgrades

If you use the REX ‘BidUp’ platform, and successfully upgrade from Economy to Business Class – you will get the cabin upgrade, but you won’t be able to use one of the REX lounges in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. REX plans to open a forth lounge in Brisbane within the space formerly occupied by the Virgin Australia overflow loounge,

Upgrade Auction

REX introduced this facility last year. It allows you to bid for upgrades from Economy to Business class via their BidUp page. Until a week ago on 11 December, one of the specific benefits of the BidUp service to Business was ‘complimentary lounge access’. And it’s not like REX has an extensive lounge network covering both city and country airports. They only have three in capital cities. Although access to the lounges is now no longer part of the BidUp process, you still do get

You not only don’t get lounge access, but neither do you get the additional baggage allowance normally offered to business class passengers. REX lounges are small, so this measure may have been introduced to combat overcrowding. The lack of additional baggage allowance is more difficult to explain.

How to use the REX Business Lounges

A BidUp upgrade may not get you into a REX lounge, but fortunately, there are other ways. You can buy your way in on an Economy Class Saver ticket for AU$33 or AU$17.50 if you are travelling on an Economy Flex fare.

If you are a member of Priority Pass – I have membership via one of my credit cards – then you can use that to gain access to a REX lounge, and you don’t even have to be flying with Regional Express.

2PAXfly Takeout

Maybe not a deal breaker, but certainly a disincentive to use the upgrade auction facility on REX. It’s also not a good look for an airline that has just introduced an upgraded frequent flyer program. I know that airport space is limited, expensive to rent, and hard to acquire, but REX needs to look at this issue as part of its pathway to becoming a full-service domestic airline.