Australia has a new airline! Finally, we will have the much-needed competition in Australian aviation. According to an article from Australian Aviation, published in February, a new low-cost airline is about to launch and it will fly to 16 regional destinations in Australia.
Bonza is the new budget airline in Australia
According to the article, the new airline is called Bonza and it will be operating routes currently not covered by its competitors. The airline will be jointly based in Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland. Another article, also from Australian Aviation published in October last year, revealed that Bonza is a venture from 2 former Virgin Blue executives, Rick Howell and Tim Jordan. That article also revealed that the project is backed by an American investment company called 777 Partners, which is also involved with the Canadian low-cost airline, Flair.
Competing but not in direct competition
According to both articles, Bonza will be competing with Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin and Rex, however, they won’t be flying the same routes. Bonza’s main focus is flying regional destinations that are not currently covered by them. The company is also not flying the “golden triangle”, Melbourne – Sydney – Brisbane.
The airline will fly 25 routes between 16 regional destinations. This will bring a lot of opportunities to these regional areas and certainly the increase in business will be welcomed to the local economy. The destinations include Albury, Avalon, Bundaberg, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Mildura, Mackay, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Whitsundays, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Melbourne and Sunshine Coast.
Modern aircraft for absolute comfort
According to Australian Aviation, Bonza will use the ultra-modern 737 Max. The airline’s goal is to provide its passengers with more travel options within the country. Using the latest and more advanced aircraft will guarantee quality. The idea is to quash the view that low-coast must be “cheap and nasty”. In a quote from Tim Jordan, the article also mentions that the company is investing in advanced aircraft with the aim of providing low-cost and environmentally friendly fares.