Budget airline Bonza embarks on big recruitment drive

Budget airline Bonza is seeking 200 pilots and cabin crew to staff its new Boeing 737 Max 8s.

Bonza is expected to start flying from mid-2022.

New budget carrier Bonza is taking another big step towards takeoff with the launch of a recruitment drive for 200 pilots and cabin crew.

To be based at either the Sunshine Coast or Melbourne, the workers will crew the airline’s brand new Boeing 737 Max 8s on predominantly regional routes in Australia.

Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said the jobs were the first opportunity to be part of an airline from day one, and he expected demand to be “sky-high”.

“Recruitment comes at a time when the aviation industry needs a welcome shot in the arm, domestic tourism demand is building and Bonza is fast growing followers excited about our mission to give Aussies more choice when it comes to holidays,” said Mr Jordan.

He claimed more than 5000 people had registered their interest in working for Bonza when the US-backed airline was first announced in October 2021, with the plan to get airborne by mid-2022.

“In aviation, it’s hard not to have witnessed the devastating impact of the pandemic on many talented pilots and cabin crew,” Mr Jordan said.

“It’s our hope we can provide roles and development opportunities to some of those impacted.”

Bonza is expected to start flying from mid-2022.

One of the big drawcards Bonza offered to pilots and cabin crew, was the promise they would return home to Melbourne or the Sunshine Coast after each day of flying, Mr Jordan said.

The condition was intended to be attractive to crew and save Bonza money by alleviating the need for overnight hotel stays.

Bonza was not the only airline recruiting, with Virgin Australia also seeking to fill hundreds of jobs across the company including in the flight deck and cabin of aircraft.

Australian Federation of Air Pilots executive director Simon Lutton said there were still hundreds of pilots out of work as a result of the demise of Tigerair, and the downsizing undertaken by Qantas and Virgin Australia.

“We are expecting that as the market picks up that they will find reemployment,” said Mr Lutton.

“Our primary concern is that it’s not been a very good negotiating environment over the pandemic but it’s something we are working on.”

AFAP technical and safety manager Marcus Diamond said between 700 and 800 highly experienced professional pilots remained out of work and in need of retraining.

He said the federation wanted to see government funding to help maintain these pilots’ currency as flying increased in coming months.

“It’s in everyone’s interests to ensure the millions of dollars that went into training these pilots is not squandered. Unfortunately flying an aeroplane is a perishable skill,” said Mr Diamond.

As well as spending time in the simulator, Mr Diamond said pilots needed to rebuild their confidence before returning to the flight deck.

“Two years is a long time to be away from any form of skilled work and we know some pilots have decided that life is better on the ground,” he said.

“There is a pilot shortage looming however and these sort of jobs can’t be filled by cadets fresh out of flight training school.”