Budget airline Bonza has cancelled its second flight into the Northern Territory

Celebrations welcoming budget airline Bonza into the Territory quickly soured when a sudden change of scheduling was announced. Read what happened.

Celebrations at the first flight into the Territory by discount airline Bonza soured with news the second and subsequent NT flights had already been cancelled for a month.

Bonza’s first flight landed in Darwin about 11.15 on Wednesday evening, with celebrations at the airport welcoming the dozens of passengers on board.

Hours before, in a digital message sent on behalf of Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan, the company admitted flights scheduled for Friday from the Gold Coast to Darwin had been cancelled.

It follows the disabling by lightning strike of one of the airline’s five aircraft last month and delays in obtaining regulatory approvals for the replacement aircraft borrowed from Bonza’s Canadian partner Flair.

Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan at Darwin airport on Wednesday night.

“As we’ve previously shared our Gold Coast base is due to be operated by our partner Flair in the short term whilst we recruit Aussie crew for our third base,” Mr Jordan said.

“This arrangement brings with it separate regulatory approval process with CASA. That process is progressing but is not yet complete and as a result, we’ve had to make the regrettable decision to defer some flights between Gold Coast and Darwin in the coming weeks.”

Bonza’s Gold Coast-Darwin route is now scheduled to commence on January 2.

“At this point our priority is to inform our impacted customers as efficiently as possible so that they can make alternative arrangements,” Mr Jordan said.

“Customers will be contacted by us in date order (based on their date of travel with the first date being December 1) and do not need to contact Bonza.

Bonza staff laughing it up at Darwin International Airport

“We will work through refunds or some limited options to move to flights to/from the Sunshine Coast however this process may take some time.

“We are acutely aware of the impact this has on our customers and we are very sorry for this.”

The delays are frustrating for the NT Government, which has presented Bonza’s arrival as a triumph for its Territory Aviation Attraction Scheme where it provides financial support to attract airlines to Darwin.

Infrastructure Minister Joel Bowden said Bonza’s flub won’t be at the expense of Territory taxpayers.

“The NT Government is not subsidising or underwriting Bonza to fly to the Territory,” Mr Bowden said.

“Through the Territory Aviation Attraction Scheme, it is contributing to the aeronautical costs at Darwin Airport.

“These payments are made retrospectively based on passengers flown. If the planes do not fly, no payments are made. We understand Bonza has offered all passengers impacted by the delay of flights starting to Gold Coast either a full refund, or a move to flights to or from the Sunshine Coast.”

Airport Development Group chief executive Tony Edmondstone said the new routes would be “positive” for the economy.

The NT News has sought clarification from Bonza and the NT Government whether the new service from Melbourne to Alice Springs scheduled to begin on December 12 will go ahead.