Bonza CEO Tim Jordan’s dream shattered: what happens next

Tim Jordan has been Bonza’s driving force, promising to make air travel cheaper. But with all flights cancelled this week, questions have been raised about the future of the airline.

The founder of grounded airline Bonza ran a low cost carrier in Kazakhstan before his ambitious bid to take on Jetstar, Rex and Virgin.

Tim Jordan has been Bonza’s driving force, promising to make air travel cheaper, particularly for regional Australians.

But his dream has been shattered, with all flights cancelled this week and questions about whether Bonza will ever fly again.

The airline’s first flight was in January last year, with industry insiders this week suggesting Mr Jordan had been too ambitious with his plans for Bonza.

Before starting Bonza in 2021, Mr Jordan was running FlyArystan, a discount carrier in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet Union country.

Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan.

Mr Jordan flagged his time in Kazakhstan with FlyArystan, which started just before the Covid-19 pandemic, in a LinkedIn post.

“As MD of FlyArystan I had the pleasure of leading the team that developed and successfully launched Kazakhstan and Central Asia’s first Low Cost Carrier – FlyArystan. The first flight was launched as planned in early May 2019,” he wrote.

“Courtesy of FlyArystan, Kazakhstan is now already one of the fastest growing domestic aviation markets in the world.”

Most people know Kazakhstan for its fictional reporter Borat, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, rather than air travel.

But while FlyArystan airline was still operating on Tuesday, Bonza’s jets were grounded.

Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat.

Mr Jordan had also worked for Go Air in India, Cebu Pacific in the Philippines, Virgin Blue in Australia and United Airlines in America.

But Australia’s aviation industry has been littered with failed airlines, including Ansett, Tiger and Compass.

The problems at Bonza have been building for months, with questions being raised about Mr Jordan’s future in November.

He told a reporter “that’s news to me” when asked about suggestions a global search was underway to replace him.

Bonza had flown larger planes, 737-Max 8, on smaller routes, including Albury, Port Macquarie, Bundaberg, Gladstone, and Mackay.

A presentation by Tim Jordan, Bonza chief executive, at the Australian Airports Association in Melbourne in November 2023.

Mareike Crawford and her family were left grounded at Sunshine Coast Airport. Picture: Patrick Woods.

However, the airline had only a few services a week, which meant a cancellation was costly as it might be two days before the next flight.

Mr Jordan had rejected reports of problems at Bonza when speaking at the Australian Airports Association national conference in November.

“When we cancelled certain routes there were certain people who reported it as the sky is falling in, the end is nigh,” he told the conference of aviation bosses.

“It’s just good business practice, us taking care of business.”

Now, five months on, it’s almost certain that the fleet will stay on the tarmac.

Originally published as Bonza CEO Tim Jordan’s dream shattered: what happens next