Bonza staff injured in flight between Rockhampton and Sunshine Coast

A Bonza passenger said she thought it was her last moment with her boyfriend after a Bonza flight experienced severe turbulence on a flight from Rockhampton to the Sunshine Coast. Read her incredible account

Bonza staff have been injured while on a severely turbulent flight to the Sunshine Coast and the plane is out of action.

A Bonza passenger thought it was her “last moment” with her boyfriend after severe turbulence on a regional Queensland flight injured staff members.

Sunrise Beach resident Layla Hutchison, 20, said a flight from Rockhampton to the Sunshine Coast yesterday afternoon started out smoothly and there was no warning before the incident about midway through the flight.

The frequent Bonza traveller said it felt like they dropped rapidly some distance.

“It was a massive thump, it felt like a head-on car crash,” she said.

“Heaps of laptops were on the floor, my seatbelt came undone as well.”

Layla Hutchison, 20, and her boyfriend Lachie Franklin were on a Bonza flight that experienced severe turbulence between Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast.

The hospitality worker said all passengers were in their seats when the incident occurred but it shocked them, including her and her boyfriend Lachie Franklin.

“We looked at each other and it felt like our last moment together,” Ms Hutchison said.

Bonza’s first flight between the Sunshine Coast and Rockhampton happened in March.

“We all screamed so loudly, everyone was crying, I was crying myself.”

Ms Hutchison said she was left traumatised by the incident and was unsure she would travel with Bonza again.

Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan said while turbulence was something that any airline could experience, and the crew followed procedures on-board, the airline would undergo a review and take any learnings on-board.

“Our thoughts are with the customers and crew who are no doubt impacted by the events of yesterday,” he said.

Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan issued a statement following the severely turbulent flight between Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast.

“The aircraft has been thoroughly inspected as is back in operation this morning.”

The incident occurred on flight AB 626, which usually departs Rockhampton at 3.35pm on Tuesdays and was scheduled to arrive at 4.40pm at the Sunshine Coast.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics were called to an incident just after 4.30pm yesterday, November 21, near Friendship Ave in the Sunshine Coast Airport precinct.

He said three people were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

An Australian Transport and Safety Bureau spokesman said the federal watchdog was gathering information about the incident with a decision on an investigation pending.

Mr Jordan on Tuesday night said the aircraft hit turbulence during the flight.

“A flight from Rockhampton to the Sunshine Coast experienced unexpected and severe turbulence leading some Bonza cabin crew members receiving injuries,” he said.

“At this time, no customers have presented with injuries and the cabin crew are currently being assessed by medical professionals.”

A Bonza spokeswoman said the three flight crew members were later discharged from the hospital.

“Our priority is always the safety of our staff and customers and we will be supporting our cabin crew legends as they need,” the chief executive said.

Mr Jordan said the aircraft was “assessed” following the incident and that a scheduled flight between the Coast and Mildura was cancelled.

“Those customers have been offered a full refund and we deeply apologise to them for the inconvenience caused,” he said.

This is the third incident involving a plane in the Sunshine Coast region in about two weeks.

Two men, aged 59 and 51, miraculously walked from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital just hours after their heavily-fuel-laden plane plunged into the ocean off the Sunshine Coast on November 10.

In a second incident, a woman was taken to the same hospital on November 12 after a light plane crashed on a private backyard airstrip in the Noosa region.