Beleaguered budget airline Bonza has encountered another setback in its second year of operation, cancelling multiple flights at major Australian airports and cutting routes in just a few days.
The budget carrier cancelled all flights from its Sunshine Coast hub to Gladstone and Rockhampton scheduled for today, 30 April 2024, along with some services from its second hub, Melbourne.
“Bonza has temporarily suspended services due to be operated today (30 April) as discussions are currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the business,” Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said in a statement.
“We apologise to our customers who are impacted by this and we’re working as quickly as possible to determine a way forward that ensures there is ongoing competition in the Australian domestic aviation market.”
The news comes just days after the LCC announced it was cutting back flights across the country due to the lack of aircraft availability.
From May, Bonza will reduce flights from Melbourne to the Gold Coast to one service per week, scaling back operations from the Gold Coast to Launceston and cutting its Gold Coast-Mount Isa service entirely.
Passengers impacted by the changes will be booked onto alternative flights with the airline, be given flight credits or be offered refunds.
On X, Virgin Australia has offered immediate support to passengers stranded mid-journey with complimentary seats on VA-operated flights to the airport nearest the final planned destination.
Impacted passengers can call the VA Contact Centre or see a customer service rep for assistance.
Aircraft issues impact capacity
CH-Aviation reported that the airline had underestimated Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval timeline and that two of Bonza’s leased Boeing 787-8s from US parent company 777 Partners are awaiting CASA approval to fly, affecting long-term capacity.
Bonza launched on 31 January 2023 as a low-cost airline alternative focusing on regional areas of Australia.
The LCC has encountered turbulence before, cancelling flights and routes from its third base of the Gold Coast in December 2023 and axing five underperforming routes in August.
The suspension of GC flights to Darwin, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Avalon, Cairns, Whitsundays and Mildura in December had many travellers left in the lurch and bailed out by rival airlines.
Both times Jordan and former CCO Carly Povey cited staffing issues, aircraft capacity and the need to cancel or delay flights to ensure the airline can earn “trust” by offering reliable services for in-demand routes.
In January, the Bonza CEO noted that since its inaugural flight, Bonza now operated 38 routes to 21 destinations from three bases with further fleet and route expansion planned for 2024.
“Like any new business, we know that we don’t always get things right all of the time but we learn quickly and will go again as our customers have shown us that there certainly is a Bonza-sized opportunity in the Australian aviation market,” he said.
Nine News reported that Shadow Minister for Transport Bridget McKenzie has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to save the budget airline.
