Bonza’s 737 MAX Is A Ripper Ride With Great Tucker And Legendary Service

Tomorrow Australia’s newest airline, Bonza, will complete the primary phase of its rollout, with flights on 27 routes to 17 destinations all launched, bookable and in full operation. Within the space of just over three months, the airline that some senior industry figures said would never get off the bottom has done so way more than that.

Bonza has introduced the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to the Australian public, making flying cheaper than a tank of petrol when airline fares had undergone the roof and connecting communities with nonstop flights that simply didn’t exist before it arrived. It remains to be the one Australian airline operating the 737 MAX, the quietest and most comfortable aircraft out there and well value a ride with fares starting at AU$49 ($33).

With the PR, route launches and celebratory cakes about to finish, for now, it is time to run a watch over what a Bonza flight is like from a passenger’s perspective. Two weeks ago, I traveled with Bonza from Melbourne International Airport to the Queensland city of Bundaberg, situated around 360 kilometers (226 miles) north of Brisbane. Here is my trip report.

Check-in and security

Bonza operates from each Melbourne Airport (MEL), sometimes known as Tullamarine, and Melbourne Avalon (AVV), giving people on either side of the town a departure point inside easy reach. Melbourne Airport is Bonza’s second base and residential to 2 of its Boeing 737 MAX 8s. It’s the only capital city within the network, offering flights to nine destinations in Victoria, Recent South Wales and Queensland.

The airport has 4 terminals, and Bonza is situated in T4, which can be the house of Rex and a few of Jetstar and Virgin Australia’s flights. Check-in and bag drop is in a standard user area which Bonza shares with Rex, and the mix of easy self-check units and helpful staff makes each a painless process. To check the system, I asked for assistance and considered one of the airport’s ground-handling team quickly got me through the method and on my way.

Bonza is a completely digital airline and every thing is on the My Bonza app, although, again, to check the system, I turned up with a paper boarding pass which worked just in addition to the electronic version on my phone. As a predominantly leisure carrier, a part of Bonza’s strategy is to operate at times when airports aren’t packed, which makes check-in and getting through security much quicker than flying at peak times.

Melbourne has upgraded its screening systems in T4 so laptops and aerosols may be left in cabin bags, but for some reason, belts should be removed. It took around ten minutes from entering the terminal to get through the initial process and arrival on the gate.

Bonza’s gate is at the tip of the terminal pier, and with no peak-hour crowding, it’s a peaceful and welcoming space. There was one passenger who arrived in a wheelchair and was quietly and really efficiently handled by the Bonza team, colloquially often known as Bonza Legends, and with none fuss was in a position to board the aircraft. Boarding is completed via stairs and, although the 737 was nearly full, it also happened with none undue delay.

The Bonza experience

Considered one of the great things about buying a brand new automobile is that unique smell, which remains to be there on the brand new 737-8s, with today’s flight operated by Shiela, or VH-UJK. I used to be sitting mid-cabin and while this was not my first Bonza flight, it still surprises and delights me that I can sit within the seat and my knees don’t touch the one in front. I actually have flown in all 4 of Bonza’s fleet, and the sparkling condition of the relatively latest aircraft, not to say the lightness and airiness of the cabin, is a welcome change.

The larger overhead bins do speed up the same old cabin bag bottleneck and that is thing because as a low-cost carrier Bonza charges for checked bags, so space for carry-on is vital. This can be a minor point, but announcements are made clearly and crisply, with the quantity loud enough to catch everyone’s attention – that helps to get the cabin settled and flight AB1003 away on time.

The seats also feature in-seat power with a USB point situated at eye-level on the seatback, removing any fumbling around to attach the device. There may be also an influence outlet situated at the bottom of the seat, which might keep laptops charged. While the MAX is an ideal aircraft, it’s what Bonza is doing onboard that would be the absolute highlight of the experience.

Clearly, the airline is about disrupting the established order, be that its point-to-point routes from regional ports, low-cost fares or book-on-the-app approach. For me, the most important and best change is that there aren’t any inflight catering carts in any respect, so the aisle never becomes an obstacle course of carts that race from one end to the opposite, blocking toilet access before disappearing backstage.

It is a digital cafe

On a Bonza aircraft, the meals, drinks and Budgie Smugglers are ordered and paid for on the Fly Boza app after which delivered, on a tray, by considered one of the Legends to your seat. After which, should you want something else or simply more of the identical, it’s just just a few clicks on the app and the method repeats. While not particularly tech-savvy I had no trouble placing an order for the Big Brekkie, which comprises a cold-pressed orange juice, a Mamma Kaz banana bread waffle and a hot cheese and ham croissant.

I placed the order on the app at 10:23, and it arrived at my seat at 10:38, with AU$16.20 ($10.70) leaving my checking account just as quickly. Afterward within the flight I ordered coffee which arrived in around 10 minutes, despite the 186-seat aircraft being near full.

Without the carts, the cabin is quieter, and the passengers can select when and what they wish to eat, which is pretty amazing whenever you remember you are on a low-cost carrier. The crew makes an announcement ahead of closing the service, fairly like calling for last orders in a pub, and as they’ve collected the empties along the best way, there isn’t any rubbish cart collection at the tip.

There is no such thing as a doubt this can be a revolutionary change in Australian aviation and that it places more pressure on the crew to maintain up with the orders and deliver the service the system demands. I learned that the Legends at each ends of the plane can electronically see every order on their tablet and its status, so that they can move through the aircraft to maintain all of the zones catered to and share the load.

The opposite notable a part of the service is that Bonza has partnered with multiple local suppliers from their destinations, a few of that are social enterprises, while several others donate a percentage of profits to charities. There are greater than 40 products on the all-Aussie menu, which come from small and medium size boutique suppliers like craft breweries, wine and fruit juice makers, chocolate corporations, food producers and cake bakers.

While there’s loads of alternative, I’d suggest that if the is on the menu, you order early, as that is fast becoming a legend in its own right. On my flight, Melbourne craft beer maker The Local Brewing Co launched their Victory Draught, a beer developed in partnership with A-League football team Melbourne Victory, also a member of the 777 Partners group of companies.

Arrival

Flight AB1003 arrived at Bundaberg airport (BDB) twelve minutes early at 12:16, after a 2:18 hour flight. Before Bonza’s launch, there have been no direct flights between Bundaberg and Melbourne and the one technique to get there was via Sydney or Brisbane, an expensive and time-consuming option.

Because the airport was serviced only by turboprop aircraft previously, the arrival of the 737 MAX grew a tidy crowd who lined up along the airport fence and from other vantage points to get a glimpse of the brand new plane. Getting off was quick and straightforward, although being a Bonza launch, there was loads of purple-clad locals available to offer a typically warm country welcome.

The Verdict

Bonza is unashamedly charting its own course with a really clear strategy of bringing air travel to the numerous, not only the few who can afford it. On many routes, it goals to exchange long automobile trips – often the one way for families and friends to attach – and to bring low-cost, nonstop flights to regions that simply do not have them.

My experience on this flight was firstclass, and while I used to be not 100% sure how well the no-cart service would work, I’m now totally converted to this innovation. It’s a delight to fly on the 737 MAX and the keenness of the Bonza crew is infectious, which is something I actually have witnessed amongst passengers on other Bonza flights.

This week I flew on a competitor’s 737-800 between Melbourne and Brisbane, which seemed somewhat old and drained by comparison, as did the cart service, which gave me one shot at a chilly cup of coffee.

The challenge for Bonza and its team is to maintain their standards up now that the hype surrounding the launches has passed and so they get on with the grind of running an airline. What I can objectively say is that the product because it stands today is firstclass and well value a try so that you would be able to make your individual mind up, Just remember to order that as soon as you board.

Within the interests of complete disclosure I flew as an impartial guest of Bonza.

Have you ever flown with Bonza? Allow us to find out about it within the comments.