Bonza fleet blow as airline adds multiple new routes

Just months after launch, the budget carrier is to make do with one fewer aircraft after its owners diverted the 737 Max to troubled Flair Airlines.

Budget carrier Bonza has pledged to continue its disruption of Australia’s aviation industry even with one less aircraft than expected, after its owners diverted the Boeing 737 Max to troubled Flair Airlines.

After launching its first service on January 31 from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsundays, Bonza is now operating to 11 destinations, with another six to follow by May 23.

They include routes not currently flown by any other airline, such as the Sunshine Coast to Mildura and Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne-Rockhampton and Melbourne to Toowoomba.

Chief executive Tim Jordan said they were delighted with how the low-cost airline was being received, with well in excess of 100,000 seats now sold.

“Seat sales are absolutely continuing with increasing pace as we bring on new locations,” he said.

“What we are seeing is, not surprisingly when you have purple aircraft flying overhead, an increased belief in terms of what we are doing and people are realising they don’t have to jump in a car or transit through another airport to get to where they want to go.”

Mr Jordan said the rapid expansion would continue to unfold with four brand new Boeing 737 Max 8s, one fewer than expected, after US owner 777 Partners redirected the Australian-registered jet to troubled Canadian venture Flair Airlines.

A leasing company recently repossessed four of Flair’s 18 aircraft, citing missed payments and mounting debts, resulting in numerous flight cancellations.

Mr Jordan said he did not “foresee any issues” for Bonza, with the airline still expected to expand its fleet to eight aircraft by early next year.

“The four aircraft we have, Shazza, Sheila, Bazza and Malc, will allow us to service all 17 destinations,” said Mr Jordan.

“We don’t foresee any issues in that regard, and we are very happy with the relationship with our investor.”

As well as providing aircraft, 777 Partners were also behind Bonza’s travel technology, with all bookings and communications with passengers via a mobile phone app.

Basic fares continued to sell for $49 on flights of around an hour, and $79 on longer services, which Mr Jordan insisted were sustainable prices.

“What we are doing at the moment is establishing ourselves in the market, and we are being very warmly received, and the loads are very, very strong,” Mr Jordan said.

“You would expect that over the Easter period, but even beyond that the loads are strong and very encouraging of what we bring to the Australian market.”

Bonza CEO Tim Jordan.

Mr Jordan said those buying tickets on Bonza included junior sports clubs, holiday-makers and people visiting family and friends for the first time in years.

“I was on the ramp for a couple of departures from the Sunshine Coast to Rockhampton and every one of the passengers was saying ‘I would have to drive between 7 and 8-hours to do this trip if it wasn’t for Bonza’,” he said.

“These flights get cars off the road, and save people money and time, and I think that’s appreciated all across the country.”

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia were also seeing bumper Easter holiday crowds with almost none of the issues experienced at the same time last year.

The Qantas Group carried 620,000 passengers since Holy Thursday, up from 601,000 over Easter 2022, and Virgin Australia’s loads were up 25 per cent on 12-months ago.

A massive increase in the industry workforce was credited with the dramatic change in performance, with most travellers through Sydney Airport clearing security in under 5-minutes.