A national domestic airline which isn’t required to scan all passengers and carry-on luggage has urged the government to further increase its aircraft security, following last week’s fatal Germanwings plane crash.

A Regional Express (Rex) chief said on Monday that the Federal Government’s cockpit security changes do not go far enough, and should cover smaller aircraft too.

However, Rex had nothing to say about a potentially much more serious security exemption for smaller aircraft: that they are not required to screen all passengers and their hand luggage.

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Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss announced Monday that two crew would be on the flight deck at all times for aircraft with 50 seats or more following the French Alps plane tragedy.

European investigators believe the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, deliberately steered the Airbus into a mountainside while the captain was locked out of the cockpit after taking a break.

But Rex CEO Neville Howell said on Monday that the cockpit security changes should cover smaller aircraft too.

“Since 2011, we have mandated…that two crew members must be on the flight deck at all times during flight,” Mr Howell said in a statement.

Rex do not require passengers and their hand luggage to be security screened. Photo: AAP

“We believe this requirement should not be restricted to an aircraft with a seating capacity of 50 and above.

“All regular public transport flights requiring the carriage of a flight attendant should be subject to this requirement.”

However, in compliance with the Office of Transport Security (OTS), Air Transport Safety Regulations (ATSR) within the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, flights under 20,000kg take-off weight – including Rex airline – do not require passengers and their hand luggage to be security screened.

This means that in the past year more than 1,000,000 passengers flying Rex across Australia, as well as those flying on charter planes, could potentially be going unscreened.

Rex operates 1,300 weekly flights across five states with 32 airports, and is Australia’s largest independent regional airline.

The New Daily contacted Regional Express however they declined to comment, referring us to the OTS.

The Federal Government announced on Friday agencies including the Department of Transport and Civil Aviation Safety Authority would investigate cockpit security.

A spokesman for Mr Truss said the decision to limit the rule to flights with 50 seats or more followed consultation with industry.

It was seen as the most practicable way to go about the change, the spokesman said.

The new rule will be reviewed in a year’s time to determine its effectiveness.

The Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia has supported the Federal Government’s cockpit security changes.

“We welcome any change that will improve the safety and security of our passengers,” the union’s national division secretary Jo Ann Davidson said.