New budget airline banks on Coffs Harbour

Air tickets for $50 from Coffs Harbour to the Sunshine Coast are just the beginning according to Bonza airline CEO Tim Jordan. See what was revealed during a meeting with the mayor at The Jetty.

Teal was the colour on everyone’s lips at the election weekend, but it’s been trumped by purple at Coffs Harbour as the city edges nearer to welcoming a new budget airline in Bonza.

Boasting $50 seats from Coffs to the Sunshine Coast, Bonza chief executive officer Tim Jordan zoomed up the M1 from his nearby home at Urunga to stoke the expectations at a photo shoot at The Jetty.

With mayor Paul Amos at his shoulder, there were some fresh keynote announcements.

While the new airline will operate just the one Coffs route - to-and-back from the Sunshine Coast - additional flight destinations could be added.

Mr Jordan said Bonza would focus on markets which were either “unserved or underserved” by a low cost carrier.

“We believe there are significant opportunities,” he said.

“There are a number of other capital cities across the country which don’t have services to the Mid-North Coast.”

While no start date has been identified for Bonza pending regulatory approval, Mr Jordan gave a broad hint.

“Come September we’ll be aiming to paint Australian skies purple (Bonza’s corporate colour),” he said.

Mr Amos said he was excited to see a new carrier service Coffs, and while he held initial doubts about the viability of the route to the Sunshine Coast, they were laid to rest when he heard “you could go there for 50 bucks”.

Coffs would have a golden economic opportunity to tap into the 350,000 population of the Sunshine Coast, he said.

“It (the new service) will push our airport’s capacity closer to half a million (passengers) a year,” Mr Amos said.

Bonza’s initial service network.

He believes Bonza will be at Coffs for the long haul.

“They have a very solid strategic plan and the only thing better than a low cost airline is a low cost airline that’s local,” Mr Amos said.

Asked what success would look like, Mr Jordan said “happy customers who want to come back to us”.

At Wednesday morning’s media conference at The Jetty, Bonza also announced a search for a Coffs resident to become the city’s ‘Local Legend”.

Tim Jordan: “We’re looking for loveable larrikins.”

To be in to win people are asked to share a 30-second or less video to Facebook or Instagram to show fellow Aussies why Coffs is tops.

The winner will receive a free VIP seat on the inaugural Coffs flight, and work with the airline as a sounding board to promote the city.

“We’re looking for local loveable larrikins,” Mr Jordan said.

Residents can enter by tagging their video with @FlyBonza (Facebook) or #BonzaLocalLegends Instagram).