Could there be a more fair dinkum name for Australia’s newest regional airline than ‘Bonza’? Probably not, and it may just be what you’re saying when you book your next flight.

 

Bonza Airlines has officially just been given permission for take-off, with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) granting the new airline its Air Operator Certificate this afternoon, making it Australia’s only independent low-cost airline. 

Where will Bonza fly to?

Based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Bonza will start off by offering flights to 17 destinations via 27 different routes across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, before the airline expands to create a second base in Melbourne. 

The current destinations up and down the Queensland coast include Cairns, Townsville, the Whitsunday Coast, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, and Toowoomba Wellcamp.

The New South Wales destinations include Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Tamworth, and Albury, and Mildura, Avalon, and Melbourne (Tullamarine) in Victoria. 

 

Image thanks to Bonza

A New Age of Flying

Unlike other Aussie airlines, Bonza flights will only be able to be booked through the Fly Bonza app (Apple Store) (Google Play) or a travel agent, not the Bonza website. 

As for the cost of a ticket, prices are yet to be released, but in early 2022, Bonza predicted that customers should expect to pay around $50 for every hour they’re in the air. Let’s see if this still holds up with the current fuel hikes and cost of living. 

Either way, Bonza Chief Executive Tim Jordan is committed to connecting communities and making air travel more accessible. 

‘Demand for domestic travel is high and Aussies deserve for travel to be a basic right — not a luxury for the few,’ Mr Jordan said.

‘With the approval from CASA, 2023 is set to be the year of seeing more of your own backyard for less.’

Bonza is getting ready to put its first flights on sale, so keep your eyes peeled for bonza bargains coming to a regional airport near you! 

 

Feature image thanks to @bulkan on Unsplash