Bonza flights cancelled between Mackay and Melbourne

A Queensland family in Melbourne for a world championship had its flight back cancelled at the last minute, leaving them out of pocket thousands of dollars as they scrambled to return for work and school commitments.

A Mackay family in Melbourne for the World Supercross titles was “appalled” after its flight back was cancelled at the last minute, while a French backpacker was hoping to make his way back to the coffee capital after working in the fields during the cane season. Picture: Contributed

A Mackay family in Melbourne for the World Supercross titles was “appalled” after its flight back was cancelled at the last minute, while a French backpacker was unable to make his way back to the coffee capital on the same day.

It was 7.20pm on Saturday at Marvel Stadium when Caitlin Harvey received the message – no more than 16 hours before departure – that the flight back to Mackay was cancelled the next day.

The Bonza airline’s message stated the cancellation was attributable to “additional maintenance requirements due to extreme weather”.

This comes as Bonza had cancelled four flights to or from Townsville on Monday for “unforeseen illness” reasons while flight attendants were injured on a Bonza flight that experienced severe turbulences between Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday.

Ms Harvey said her family had no choice but to fly back the next day due to work on Monday and the children’s school awards ceremonies.

“I had to remove myself from the world titles to attempt to get in contact with Bonza and with no luck,” Ms Harvey said, adding that the tickets cost them $200.

Mackay resident Caitlin Harvey, her partner Chris and two children Kyron and Everlee had a nightmarish journey back to Mackay after their flight was cancelled. Picture: Contributed

Her and her partner Chris managed to find another flight back the next day, but it cost them nearly $4000 and the flight would take seven hours instead of the normal three.

“What happens to these families who can’t afford this?” Ms Harvey said as she was waiting at the Brisbane airport for her second flight back to Mackay.

“What’s more, is that none of our seats are together. I have a 5-year-old and we can’t even sit together during the flight.”

Ms Harvey said she was “appalled” at the “poor customer service” and would not use the airline again.

“The reason they gave us was just to cover their bums,” Ms Harvey said about the airline mentioning the weather events as the cause for cancellation while “all other airlines were running”.

The first Bonza flight from Melbourne lands at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport on April 17, 2023. Picture: Contributed

But it wasn’t just the Harvey family that was hoping to catch a Bonza flight on that day.

French backpacker Olivier Barsotti was hoping to do the opposite and fly from Mackay to Melbourne on Sunday after he had been in the Whitsundays to work in the fields throughout the cane season.

“I booked this flight because it’s the cheapest you can have,” he said.

“When I received the message, I thought it was a scam because there was nothing on the website and I didn’t receive anything via email.”

Mr Barsotti will have to catch a flight on Monday for double the price.

French backpacker Olivier Barsotti had his flight cancelled from Mackay to Melbourne at the last minute on Sunday. Picture: Contributed

Another Mackay family of five, posting its misadventures on Facebook group Mackay Noticeboard, had also hoped to catch the flight back from Melbourne on Sunday.

Travis Barkus posted that they had decided to catch a flight back to Proserpine instead, an hour and a half away from Mackay, hoping that someone would be able to pick them up from the airport.

“It’s bound to happen. Bloody Bonza!”, Tracey Clarke had commented on the post.

Another comment from Merron Pauline Carter said “big questions should be asked” as to the responsibility of airlines to provide transfers to stranded passengers.

This publication sent a request to Bonza for comment but hadn’t received a response by deadline.