Bonza kicks off its operations after a long period of waiting for its AOC. The airline promised to be committed to all things “Allstralia” offering low-cost flights to regional areas not covered by the 2 major domestic airlines, Jetstar and Virgin. The airline published in a press release on the 31st of January that it was committed to stimulating local tourism.
The first flight
The airline kicks off its operation with its inaugural flight to the Whitsundays. Bonza will be adding 16 regional destinations to the Australian Domestic market. Places like the Whitsundays, Bundaberg, Mildura, Mackay Toowoomba and others will be a much-needed boost to our tourism industry. Bonza’s CEO Tim Jordan said in the press release that the inaugural flight was a “milestone flight” and that it came “at a time where high demand for Aussies to explore their own backyard”.
All Aussie on board
It has also been a promise that Bonza will be a 100% Aussie airline, even on the food served onboard. According to the article, passengers can order their food through the airline’s app and get it delivered to their seats on the flight. The CEO also said that their customers will experience a “fresh approach to flying” where the airline will “keep the bar high on quality” and “low on costs.
The airline is based at the Sunshine Coast Airport and according to its CEO, Bonza will add another 772,000 seats to the region. This is a much-needed boost to the region’s tourism which also according to Sunshine Coast Airport CEO, Andrew Brodie, will be over $86 million in tourism revenue for the region.
So, this is great news for our regional areas and our tourism industry. In the last couple of years, our tourism industry has been highly affected both by natural disasters, such as deadly bushfires and floods and also the pandemic. More flights mean possibly more tourism and more revenue for those affected regions.