‘First step’: Budget-airline Bonza celebrates Avalon Airport arrival, hopeful of big future

The first flight from budget airline Bonza touched down at Avalon Airport on Tuesday afternoon, marking a milestone for both the airline and the airport.

The first flight from budget airline Bonza touched down at Avalon Airport on Tuesday afternoon, marking the latest chapter in the airport’s history.

Bonza, Australia’s newest airline, began flying this year and offers flights between Avalon and the Sunshine Coast.

Tri-weekly flights, starting from $79 per person, went on sale last month.

Avalon Airport chief executive Tony Brun said the route had the potential to be the first of many out of Avalon.

“We think there’s a valuable proposition for Bonza, and we’re quietly confident they’re going to roll out a lot more services,” Mr Brun said.

“They realise that we’re 45 minutes from Melbourne – so if you’re coming to the footy, you can come via Avalon.

“If you want to go down to Geelong or the Bellarine, Torquay and the Surf Coast, it’s the same distance.”

The Avalon-Sunshine Coast route is hoped to be the first of many, according to Avalon and Bonza executives. Picture: Alex Coppel

Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan agreed.

“We see today as the first step of hopefully many,” he said.

“We are about new route development; low-cost route development in Australia hasn’t been exceptional for the last decade.

“Australia has stood still while many others in the rest of the world have stepped up.

“We see there being opportunities for new routes (out of Avalon).”

Bonza’s flight also marked the first time a new domestic airline flight has landed in Victoria for 16 years

Avalon’s international terminal lies dormant, its international ambitions grounded in January with the announcement that Vietnamese budget airline VietJet would run its flights out of Melbourne.

With Bonza joining Jetstar in the Avalon stable, Mr Brun said other airlines may follow.

“We’re very confident that we’ll get international flights back,” Mr Brun said.

“When you look at the number of people within our 45-minute catchment, we’re bigger than Adelaide, we’re bigger than the Gold Coast.

“When you look at the 60-minute catchment … everyone talks about Western Sydney, we’re a million people more.”

“It’s only a matter of time until we click.”

Originally published as ‘First step’: Budget-airline Bonza celebrates Avalon Airport arrival, hopeful of big future