Rex has temporarily reversed its decision to suspend Queensland passenger flights after a last-minute intervention from the state’s government – but warned it may still cancel services if a final agreement isn’t reached in seven days’ time.

Australian Aviation breaks down exactly what Saturday's announcement means for staff, and how it has been received by airlines and ground handling businesses.

Rex has said it may not be able to transport COVID-19 testing samples from regional areas to capital cities for analysis unless it receives a government bailout.

The government announced a $298 million bailout for regional aviation on Saturday morning – hours after a help-us-or-lose-us deadline imposed by Rex and eight independent carriers.