Low-cost start-up in Australia According to Bonza’s CEO Tim Jordan, the airline will begin operations in September 2022 with three Boeing 737 Max 8s.
The launch was originally scheduled for Q2 2022, but Bonza has chosen to postpone it once more.
Jordan was quoted by Flightglobal on May 20, 2022, as saying that the carrier will be based at Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY), around 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Brisbane, and aims to progressively expand its fleet to eight MAX 8s during the first year following the debut.
Bonza will compete with the country’s larger and more prominent carriers by offering ultra-low rates for direct flights across an initial 17 destinations and 27 routes. Instead of flying with a stopover in major Australian cities, like other Australian airlines do, the focus will be on point-to-point travel.
Bonza’s chief commercial officer, Carly Povey, revealed in an open letter to Australian travelers published on May 18, 2022, that the start-up carrier will use a booking model similar to Uber, in which passengers will book flights, communicate with customer service, and make payments directly through an app rather than through the airline’s website.
“The app helps to keep fares and carbon emissions low – enabling Bonza to pass on the savings to customers who can expect to pay around $50 for every hour they’re in the air,” the airline’s statement reads.
Bonza, which was created in 2021, plans to save money by eliminating services like airport lounges and frequent-flyer programs that are widely used by its competitors. While preparing for the upcoming opening, the airline hopes to hire airline employees who were laid off by other airlines due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Bonza initiated a recruiting drive in late March 2022 to fill 200 flight crew and cabin crew vacancies.