Summary
- Bonza has saved Aussies thousands and thousands by democratizing travel, connecting communities with nonstop flights previously unavailable and offering inexpensive prices.
- Bonza’s introduction of the Boeing 737 MAX has improved the onboard experience, providing quieter and more fuel-efficient flights in comparison with older aircraft.
- Bonza plans to expand in 2024, replacing leased aircraft with its own and adding more destinations and operating bases, while continuing to innovate the domestic flying experience.
This week marks the primary anniversary of the launch flight of Australia’s newest domestic airline, Bonza. On January 31, 2023, Bonza launched its first industrial flight from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsunday Airport, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and one in all Australia’s most photographed and delightful seaside spots, Airlie Beach.
Democratizing travel has saved Aussies thousands and thousands
Australia’s only independent low-cost carrier Bonza has pioneered many latest routes and connected communities that previously had no nonstop flights, where often the one alternative was a really long automobile ride or an exorbitantly priced connection via a capital city hub. Within the last twelve months, Bonza has carried greater than 750,000 passengers to 21 destinations across the country, with 84% of those routes not served by some other airline and 89% not served by a low-cost carrier.
Photo: Bonza
Based on the differences between Bonza’s average fare on the routes it flies and the common fare of its competitors, Bonza estimates it has saved its passengers AU$125 million ($84 million) by delivering on its promise of creating travel cheaper and accessible, especially to those in regional Australia. As he reflected on the 2023 achievements of launching 38 routes to 21 destinations from three bases, Bonza CEO Tim Jordan described this week as a and said that the airline is concentrated on making
Bonza has pioneered the Boeing 737 MAX in Australia and adjusted the onboard experience with quieter, roomier and more fuel-efficient flights that introduced Australians to what a brand new generation aircraft can offer, which is a distinctly different product to the older 737-800s which have dominated domestic travel for years.
Bonza is working six MAX 8s, including 4 of its own aircraft plus two which are operating on a wet lease from affiliated Canadian carrier Flair Airlines. The Flair jets are here for the height summer season and to facilitate the beginning of operations from Bonza’s third base, situated on the Gold Coast Airport (OOL) in Queensland.
Photo: Michael Doran I Easy Flying
While this week involves some reflection on what has been achieved, Bonza is well advanced in its growth plans for 2024. The low-cost carrier will replace the wet-leased Boeing 737 MAX 8s with its own aircraft after summer and plans to expand beyond those six jets because it adds more destinations and a fourth operating base during 2024, adding to those on the Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY), Melbourne Airport (MEL) and the Gold Coast Airport (OOL).
The onboard experience has modified domestic flying
On the people side, Bonza has developed a team of greater than 300 who’re deployed across the country, and the cabin crews have been on the forefront of perhaps the largest change in Australian domestic flying, and that’s eliminating the onboard trolleys and switching to an a la carte order on-demand system.
Photo: Bonza
Those orders include an all-Australian menu of food and drinks from local producers, which is one other element of the unique experience Bonza has on offer. Jordan added:
“Ditching the cabin trolley and having food and drinks served on to your seat by our cabin crew legends with just a couple of thumb presses on the Fly Bonza app has been a game changer. For lots of our menu partners that is the primary time their products have been onboard an airline and we have proudly watched their businesses grow as Bonza helps them reach latest heights.”
To rejoice the Bonzaversary, the airline is offering greater than 200,000 seats across all routes on the Bonza network for AU$49 ($33) per person a method booked via the Fly Bonza app. The offer is open now and ends at 23:59 AEST on Monday, February 5, 2024, and travel is valid between February 1 and October 26, 2024. As with all sales, there are some conditions and limitations, and fares are limited and subject to availability until sold out.
Have you ever traveled with Bonza? Allow us to learn about it within the comments.