New Australian entrant Bonza has had a busy week of route launches and announcements. Let’s take a further look into this.
Three announcements were made by Bonza this week.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Sunshine Coast to Melbourne Avalon…
On February 21, the Australian low-cost carrier started operations between the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne Avalon Airport.
Commenting on the launch was Tim Jordan, the CEO of Bonza:
“Today is a significant milestone as we get wheels up into Victoria for the first time.”
“South East Queenslanders can now fly direct to Avalon for a wide range of holiday experiences in Melbourne, Geelong, the Surf Coast, and the Great Ocean Road.”
“Likewise, Victorians can now fly direct from Avalon to the Sunshine Coast to visit loved ones and take a well-earned break”.
This service will operate on a thrice-weekly basis until late October, as the route will operate seasonally.
Sunshine Coast Also Receives Townsville Flights…
Townsville-Sunshine Coast was the fourth route to launch in the Bonza arsenal, with flights beginning on February 22.
Jordan also commented on this route expansion, saying the following:
“We are thrilled to be launching our first-ever flight into North Queensland today.”
“I look forward to spending some time in Townsville before joining the festivities on Friday when we head to Rocky for the first time,”
“The introduction of two brand new routes from Townsville comes at a time where demand is at an all-time high for Aussies to explore their own backyard.”
“Our team of legends is humbled to play a role in connecting more Aussies with low-cost flights”.
“We know Townsville is rugby league heartland, and there are plenty of NRL fans who will be jumping onboard to catch a match at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium”.
Also adding to this was Amelia Evans, the CEO of Queensland Airports Limited:
“Bonza choosing Townsville as one of its first destinations shows the importance of North Queensland and the opportunity this region presents, mirroring our own confidence in future growth for the airport”.
“More than one million passengers are already flying between Townsville and Brisbane each year, and that number continues to grow – this new link between North and South-East Queensland will provide our customers and community with another option”.
“We also expect the new Townsville-Rockhampton route will be particularly popular with friends and family travelers looking to connect with loved ones more easily.”
Australian Delight as Bonza Implement Discounted Fares…
Then, on Thursday, the Australian carrier Bonza announced discounted fares in a bid to secure some further market share across its 12 routes so far:
From/to Melbourne
- Bundaberg: fares from $89, 2 flights per week, from 10 May 2023
- Gladstone: fares from $89, 2 flights per week, from 11 May 2023
- Mackay: fares from $89, 2 flights per week, from 23 May 2023
- Mildura: fares from $49, 3 flights per week, from 8 May 2023
- Port Macquarie: fares from $69, 2 flights per week, from 4 May 2023
- Rockhampton: fares from $89, 3 flights per week, from 11 April 2023
- Sunshine Coast: fares from $79, 4 flights per week, from 30 March 2023
- Tamworth: fares from $59, 2 flights per week, from 2 May 2023
- Toowoomba Wellcamp: fares from $79, 4 flights per week, from 17 April 2023
From/to Toowoomba Wellcamp
- Melbourne: fares from $79, 4 flights per week, from 17 April 2023
- Townsville: fares from $69, 2 flights per week, from 19 April 2023
- Whitsunday Coast: fares from $59, 2 flights per week, from 21 April 2023
From/to Tamworth
- Sunshine Coast: fares from $49, 2 flights per week from 6 May 2023
- Melbourne: fares from $59, 2 flights per week, from 2 May 2023
Carly Povey, Bonza’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the following:
“Today is a huge day for Aussie travelers as we deliver on our promise to make air travel accessible to the many, not the few”.
“Today millions more Aussies have the chance to book a low-cost flight to see a loved one or explore their own backyard.”
“As a proud Melbournite, I’m very excited to have the opportunity to fly directly to regional destinations to catch some winter sun in Queensland or explore the wine region of Mildura”.
“The routes on sale today use our Melbourne-based crew and aircraft, including our fourth plane, Malc, named after a dear legend who recently passed away”.
Bonza aims to eventually operate an initial route map, which includes 27 routes to 17 destinations, with 93% of Bonza routes not currently served by any airline and 96% not currently served by a low-cost carrier.
Overall…
It remains clear that it is a full-steam ahead for Bonza as more routes are inaugurated and added to its route network.
This comes at a good time when the Summer 2023 season is expected to be a busy period for the Australian aviation industry.
But for now, all eyes are on Bonza to see where else they will choose to serve.
