Budget airline start-up Bonza says it plans to connect 16 destinations across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria when it begins flying towards the middle of this year. The airline will be jointly based at the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne airports, with the latter being the only capital city in Bonza’s initial network.
All eyes are on the newcomer as the first new domestic airline since Tiger Airways in 2008, and the first Australian airline to operate the Boeing 737 MAX. It’s not an easy task to start a new airline, especially when you plan to operate a high-density 200 seat aircraft on all regional routes.
Bonza expects fares to go live from March, with ticket costs similar to that of Jetstar, and less than Qantas and Virgin. A one-hour flight will go for around $50 on average, while longer flights could see ticket costs between $75 and $100.
Chief executive Tim Jordan said that rather than go head to head with existing airlines on busy capital city routes, Bonza is focused on flying to new and underserved regional destinations.
“With destinations ranging from Albury to the Whitsundays, travellers will now be able to fly, instead of impossibly long road trips as well as fly direct without a stopover in a major city,” he said.
“Aussies can look forward to enjoying more time at their destination and spending less of their hard earned cash getting there in the first place.”
Bonza’s newly announced network will offer Australian travellers direct flights between 16 destinations. Here’s the full list, including the number of weekly services.
Sunshine Coast
- Albury (2)
- Avalon (3)
- Cairns (5)
- Coffs Harbour (2)
- Mackay (3)
- Melbourne (4)
- Mildura (2)
- Newcastle (4)
- Port Macquarie (2)
- Rockhampton (3)
- Townsville (4)
- Whitsunday Coast (3)
Melbourne
- Bundaberg (2)
- Gladstone (2)
- Mackay (2)
- Mildura (3)
- Port Macquarie (2)
- Rockhampton (3)
- Sunshine Coast (4)
- Toowoomba Wellcamp (4)
Rockhampton
- Cairns (2)
- Melbourne (3)
- Sunshine Coast (3)
- Townsville (3)
Cairns
- Mackay (2)
- Rockhampton (2)
- Sunshine Coast (5)
Whitsunday Coast
- Newcastle (2)
- Sunshine Coast (3)
- Toowoomba Wellcamp (2)
Mackay
- Cairns (2)
- Melbourne (2)
- Sunshine Coast (3)
Townsville
- Rockhampton (3)
- Sunshine Coast (4)
- Toowoomba Wellcamp (2)
Toowoomba Wellcamp
- Melbourne (4)
- Townsville (2)
- Whitsunday Coast (2)
Newcastle
- Sunshine Coast (4)
- Whitsunday Coast (2)
Port Macquarie
- Melbourne (2)
- Sunshine Coast (2)
Mildura
- Melbourne (3)
- Sunshine Coast (2)
Gladstone
- Melbourne (2)
Bundaberg
- Melbourne (2)
Coffs Harbour
- Sunshine Coast (2)
Albury
- Sunshine Coast (2)
Avalon
- Sunshine Coast (3)
