The managing director of Sharp Airlines (SH, Hamilton, VI) says the scheduled Australian regional carrier is watching what happens with Rex - Regional Express (ZL, Wagga Wagga) and its flights to Bass Strait's King Island.

Malcolm Sharp said his airline is in a "strategic hold" and, with its 14-year history of flying to nearby Flinders Island, is well-placed to take over the King Island services should Rex cease its scheduled Melbourne Tullamarine route.

Rex is currently in administration, although regional flights such as those to King Island continue to operate. However, the administrators, Ernst & Young, have yet to find a buyer for the airline, and there is no guarantee that they will. If no buyer emerges and the decision is made to liquidate Rex, scores of regional and rural towns will lose air links.

"Sharp Airlines has acquired additional aircraft and flight crew and is well prepared to fill the gap in providing services to King Island should Rex fail," he said.

King Island is located in the waterway that separates the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania. Currently, both Rex and Sharp Airlines link the island to Melbourne, 250 kilometres away (Rex links it with Melbourne Tullamarine while Sharp flies into Melbourne Essendon). According to ch-aviation schedules data, Sharp Airlines also connects the island with Burnie and Launceston on Tasmania's northern coast. The carrier operates twenty-three twin-engine turboprop Fairchild Metroliners.

"We certainly have the capacity to nearly double the frequency to Melbourne should Rex exit the market, increasing our current seat offering from 300 to 600 seats per week," he continued. "This capacity would fully meet the needs of King Island from our experience."

Nominally based in the small Victorian town of Hamilton but no longer flying from there, Sharp Airlines has emerged as a Bass Strait passenger specialist and has aircraft based at Melbourne Essendon and Launceston. It also has freight and fly-in-fly-out operations and serves those sectors from airports such as Brisbane International, Adelaide International, and Perth International. "Sharp Airlines is continually growing and looking for opportunities," he ended.