Aussies hit with more bad Christmas news after airline cancels all flights along busy route

Embattled airline Bonza has canceled flights on another key route, forcing passengers to quickly make alternative travel plans.

Australia's newest budget airline announced in August that it would begin flights between the Gold Coast and Avalon Airport between Melbourne and Geelong before Christmas.

The airline's first flight on the route was due to depart on Tuesday but has since been postponed indefinitely, affecting hundreds of passengers.

The airline said the plane's unavailability caused the delay and has started offering full refunds to affected customers.

Bonza's operations on the Gold Coast have been handicapped this holiday season after flights to and from Darwin in December were canceled last week.

Embattled airline Bonza has canceled flights along a flight route again in December, with flights between Avalon and Gold Coast airports indefinitely grounded (stock image)

The airline was launched in February with the promise of offering unique flight routes across the country.

However, Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said the airline was weighed down by regulatory processes, aircraft availability and staff shortages as it tried to create a new base on the Gold Coast.

“This arrangement involves a separate approval process,” Jordan said in a statement.

“That process is progressing but not yet complete and as a result we have had to make the regrettable decision to postpone some routes to/from the Gold Coast, including Avalon.”

He said the airline's priority was to contact affected customers as quickly as possible so they can make alternative travel plans and receive a full refund.

A total of 439 customers have already received a refund.

The airline is “working through” issues to ground flights on the route, but there is no timeline for when it will be operational.

The cancellation has left hundreds of customers seeking alternative travel plans, with Bonza already offering 439 full refunds to affected passengers (stock image)

It comes just days after the airline announced flights between Darwin and the Gold Coast would also be canceled until December citing 'regulatory processes' (stock image)

About 1,100 customers affected by the Darwin-Gold Coast cancellations have now been offered flights to Queensland's Sunshine Coast, while those who could no longer make the trip were offered refunds.

Many customers have since voiced their complaints online.

“I'm at least 1K behind because of these clowns,” one person wrote on social media.

'Will they reimburse us for the accommodation and transport arrangements that now have to be cancelled? I bet not!' said another.

'I now have a LOT of extra money out of my pocket because I book with other airlines at last-minute prices. If they had let me know earlier, I could have gotten cheaper replacement flights.'

Bonza's flights between Darwin and the Gold Coast are expected to take place in January.

Bonza is backed by Miami-based private equity group 777 Partners, which also owns Canadian budget airline Flair.

More than 1,100 passengers, including many holidaymakers, were affected by the canceled flights, with some having to pay more than $1,000 for last-minute flights (stock image)