Sunshine Coast flights: Bonza Airline’s Australian-first app revealed

There is no date for takeoff, but Sunshine Coast-based Bonza Airline has announced a revolutionary way its customers will be able to book their flights. Read how here.

In what Bonza says is an Aussie-first, customers will book their flights through an app or a travel agent only – once the airline gets off the ground.

The airline’s chief executive Tim Jordan said the move to app and travel agent-only booking was to ensure Bonza had a direct line of communication with customers through in-app messaging.

“What we want to do is have as many people as possible through our app because it allows us to give a better service to our customers, especially when things go wrong,” he said.

He said the app booking concept was a first for an Australian airline.

The chief executive said Bonza also wanted to work with local travel agents because the industry had “done it tough” in the past three years and travel agents provided a great service to clients.

He said Australians had learned a lot about apps over the past three years.

“We’ve all got used to checking in on our phones and we’ve become a little more app savvy,” Mr Jordan said.

Bonza's first 737 MAX in Australia touches down at Sunshine Coast Airport. Picture: Lachie Millard

The chief executive would not confirm a date for takeoff and said the airline was going through a process with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

“We are working our way through a very long to-do list but progress is ongoing,” Mr Jordan said.

A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman said the airline was aiming for a mid-October approval but that was subject to “the clarification” of several issues.

“We continue to work on the air operator’s certificate application filed by Bonza in April,” he said.

“A new AOC is a complex and detailed process to ensure Bonza meets the aviation standards expected by Australian travellers.”

Mr Jordan said there was also a number of staff vacancies yet to be filled on the Sunshine Coast, which is the home base for the airline, including a leader in the airline’s legal team and a customer contact officer.

He said the airline was recruiting for about another 10 roles, excluding operating crew.