2 years ago I had a show in Adelaide with around 4000 strong crowd. We went with Rex airlines and their monkey handlers smashed my guitar, which was in an pro grade "flight case".
But of course when I went to sort it there was zero accountability. I'd already waived my right to safe handling of my property in their fine print.
I'm also currently undertaking pilots training. I'm also from a regional area and I can't obtain clearance on my local strip some days because of Rex's Melb to Mildura flightpath.
It's like being told you can't drive your own car down the road to the local supermarket because there's someone driving a bus down the highway that bypasses your city.
I still have the broken guitar, and unfortunately no sympathy for employees of such a terrible company.