Australia’s new budget Airline Bonza will fly 17 routes after approval from aviation safety body
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Revealed: The 17 destinations new budget airline Bonza will fly to, with tickets as cheap as $50 going on sale in a few days.
- Bonza airline will fly 17 routes, 13 from the base on the Sunshine Coast
- The budget airline received approval on Thursday.
- Short-haul flights will have tickets starting at $50
- Flights are expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Australia’s new low-cost airline has been given the green light to fly to 17 destinations across the country, with tickets going on sale in a few days.
Bonza Airlines received its Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on Thursday and will serve regional airports in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, including 13 from its base on the Sunshine Coast.
Within Queensland, Bonza passengers will be able to fly from the airline’s hub to Cairns, Townsville, the Whitsunday coast, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg and Toowoomba Wellcamp.
Australia’s new low-budget airline, Bonza (Boeing 737-8 Bonza aircraft pictured) will fly to 17 destinations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Interstate Bonza travelers can fly from the Sunshine Coast to Albury, Avalon, Coffs Harbour, Melbourne, Mildura, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Tamworth.
Travelers taking a flight from Melbourne can fly direct to 10 destinations, including Mildura, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast and Port Macquarie.
The airline plans to sell tickets as low as $50 for short-haul one-hour flights, with longer flights costing customers between $75 and $100.
Travelers looking to get a cheap plane ticket will have to buy flights through the Fly Bonza app or from a travel agent.
Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said the airline targets “average Australians” as “workers, teachers, children and carers”.
“The excitement for what we are about to deliver is palpable and the timing couldn’t be better,” said Mr. Jordan.
“Demand for domestic travel is high and Australians deserve to make travel a basic right for many, not a luxury for a few.
The budget airline will fly a total of 17 routes, including 13 from its base on the Sunshine Coast (pictured)
Jordan added that the approval was “historic” for the nation’s aviation sector, as it marked the first major new airline for Australia in more than 15 years.
Bonza’s flight network is expected to expand to some 27 routes (domestic, interstate and international) as the airline’s fleet and workforce grow.
Backed by US venture capital firm 777 Partners, 93 percent of the low-cost airline’s destinations are not served by any other airline.
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said the airline was a “welcome milestone” for the country’s aviation industry.
Ms King described Bonza’s planned routes as “no services” and said the low-cost fares will help with the growing demand for flights after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The budget airline’s launch has been described as a ‘welcome milestone’ for ‘underserved’ routes (Bonza CEO Tim Jordan pictured with airline staff)
“The entry of a new operator will boost competition in the Australian aviation industry, offering more choice to the traveling public and putting downward pressure on fares,” said Ms King.
“I congratulate the CASA and Bonza staff who have worked hard over many months to advance this certification and ensure that Bonza meets the high safety standards required by all airlines operating in Australia.”
Bonza’s fleet of aircraft includes three fuel-efficient Boeing 737 Max-8s, affectionately named Shazza, Bazza and Sheila.
Production of the model was recently halted after hardware and software problems led to two accidents and 300 deaths.
However, the aircraft has since been re-approved to fly in 135 countries and is currently being used to fly in and out of Australia by a number of international airlines.