Aussie budget airline to fly to the Gold Coast from $49

Australia’s newest budget airline has revealed it will soon fly to and from the Gold Coast with fares starting at $49.

If you’re dreaming of a dose of sunshine, Bonza has some good news for you.

The low-cost Aussie airline has announced that Gold Coast Airport will be its third base.

Flights will operate from the Goldie to 11 existing Bonza destinations: Albury, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Melbourne Avalon, Melbourne Tullamarine, Mildura, Rockhampton, Townsville and the Whitsunday Coast.

And the best bit? Fares will range from $49 to $79 per person one way.

The first flights from the Gold Coast will take off progressively from November, in time for the summer holidays, Escape reports.

“Today’s announcement is about creating more depth in our network by connecting existing Bonza destinations with the Gold Coast and also the gateway from there to Northern NSW. It is a huge boost for the economy and allows people in our existing destinations the opportunity to book an affordable flight to Gold Coast Airport and take a much-deserved holiday or long-awaited visit to friends and family,” said Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza.

Bonza CEO Tim Jordan. Picture: Fiona Hamilton

“New routes from the Gold Coast also mean locals from South Brisbane down to Northern NSW regions, like Ballina and Byron Bay, have the chance to explore their own backyard with low-cost flights to regional locations like Mildura, Bundy and Townsville to name a few,” he added.

The airline says there will be additional and new destinations that will connect with the Gold Coast and those will be revealed when the time is right: “We’ll be adding new destinations to our route map that will fly from the Gold Coast and we continue to welcome conversations with airports around the country as we fulfil our mission to connect communities. Our focus continues to be on unserved and underserved markets that we know would benefit from low cost flights,” said Jordan.

How to book flights to the Gold Coast on Bonza

Bonza is a little unusual in that you can only book flights through the Fly Bonza app.

Flights to and from the Gold Coast will go on sale soon and those signed up in the Fly Bonza app will be first to know.

The low-cost Aussie airline has announced that Gold Coast Airport will be its third base. Picture: Garry Wilkinson

Gold Coast is the latest step from an airline that is shaking up its schedule

The news comes two weeks after the airline announced it would be scrapping five routes and reducing the frequency of others in a bid to shore-up the company’s “long-term success” and “reduce the likelihood of cancellations”.

In an open letter to customers, posted to its social media channels, the Sunshine Coast headquartered carrier announced the routes being dumped were Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and Tamworth as well as Cairns to Mackay, and Toowoomba Wellcamp to Whitsunday Coast.

Other routes won’t operate as often, but top-performing routes Sunshine Coast to Albury, Sunshine Coast to Melbourne (Avalon), and Melbourne to Port Macquarie will all get an additional run per week.

Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey said there hadn’t been sustainable demand for the five cancelled routes.

“Twenty-two routes remain, and where there is very strong demand we’re also starting to add in additional flights which is very positive this early on in Bonza’s journey,” Ms Povey said.

Those booked on cancelled routes from August 1, when the changes kick in, to October 28 will be contacted and given full refunds, for which the airline has apologised.

“In order for us to earn your trust, as we know that we’re at the start of that journey, we have decided to take a step back to allow our services to become more reliable,” Ms Povey wrote in the letter.

“You could say, we’re taking a step back to allow us to take a leap forward.”

This article originally appeared on Escape and was reproduced with permission