Bonza confirm several months delay for take-off

A low-cost airline set to make headway from Wellcamp airport have confirmed in an open letter to customers not to wait on them.

A low-cost airline due to fly out from Wellcamp in the coming weeks has confirmed the airline’s takeoff date would be delayed for several months.

In an open letter to customers, Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey said the airline’s planes were still to arrive in Australia, with flights not expected to begin across the country until September.

“This is slightly later than first expected but gives us the clarity we need to map out the in-country process that starts once they touch down,” she said.

“I can confirm that you shouldn’t wait for us to lock in your essential July and August travel plans.”

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Ms Povey said in the statement Bonza had confirmed when the planes would arrive in the company, but refused to confirm the date of their arrival.

“We’d rather be upfront,” she said.

The company said it was currently recruiting hundreds of staff, going through regulatory approvals and “finalising on-board details”.

“If we have more positive news to share sooner, we will,” Ms Povey said.

Bonza CEO Tim Jordan confirmed in February that Wellcamp Airport would be a key takeoff point for the airline, with routes to Townsville, Whitsundays and Melbourne from the Darling Downs.

Mr Jordan previously confirmed with The Chronicle that flights would start to take off from mid-2022.

“It’s wrong for people in 2022, (that) the people in the region, the south Queensland area and the community here have to spend two to three hours heading down to Brisbane to catch low cost services – that’s going to change,” he said.

John Wagner, Wagner Corporation Chairman and Tim Jordan, CEO Bonza. Announcement of Bonza airlines flying from Wellcamp Airport. Friday, February 18, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“We’re fed up with video calls, we’re fed up with talking to each other over the phones over the past two years.

“We think if you’re flying on an ultra low-cost carrier such as Bonza … we think if you’re flying for an hour, you shouldn’t be paying much more than $50.

“If you’re flying for two hours, maybe that’s $75 to $100.”

Wagner Corporation’s John Wagner previously confirmed residents were securing work at the Wellcamp airport for the upcoming Bonza schedule.

“We are putting on more ground handlers, more check-in staff more security staff, so that’s happening as we speak, so we’re very excited about the future,” he said.