Bonza, the new kid on the block in the Australian aviation industry, made its grand entrance on Tuesday with a flight from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsundays.
The low-cost carrier promises to “connect Aussies for holidays and time with loved ones”.
Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said the service would “change the aviation environment for the better – for the many, not just the few”.
An eye-catching purple Boeing 737 MAX-8, nicknamed Bazza, took to the sky with customers, aviation enthusiasts and media, including The New Daily, onboard.
What to expect
The flight was on a new 737 Max-8, paid for by Miami-based private investment firm 777 Partners.
Travellers looking for a comfortable flying experience will be happy to hear that seats aboard Bazza feel spacious, with an average pitch of 74cm (29 inches).
Upgrade options for additional legroom are also available (up to 94cm).
By comparison, the average pitch on Jetstar is 71cm (28 inches), and the average on Virgin is 76cm (30 inches).
An all-Aussie menu, plus in-flight entertainment, is available on demand from the Fly Bonza app. It includes non-alcoholic beer, cold drip coffee and a “snag in a bag”.
You can leave the phone charger at home, because handy USB and power chargers are found in the back of each seat.
Bonza has adopted a wear it your way non-binary uniform range for its cabin staff, with Bonza “legends”, encouraged to let their individual personalities shine.
App-centred approach
The app is arguably the centrepiece of the Bonza experience, with Mr Jordan telling reporters that the airline has a “digital focus”.
Travellers can book, check in and manage their travel through the Bonza app.
It’s also how the airline will communicate directly with customers in the case of a delay or disruption to their journey. The airline hopes this will make travelling more accessible and stress-free for its customers.
Sounds fine. But what about customer complaints? Or what if you just want to speak with someone on the phone?
Mr Jordan told reporters that there was an online digital contact centre to “hopefully solve any issues”, but acknowledged that there was “no phone number you can dial”.
Location, location, location
Mr Jordan revealed that the airline has already sold 10,000 flights via its app since going on sale on January 27.
And with flights starting from $49 (one way), he said its service will be a “game changer” for tourism markets by serving under-served regional communities.
Bonza is positioning itself as a high-capacity, ultra-low-cost alternative to Virgin and Qantas.
“Some of those bells and whistles that are associated with business carriers, that’s not for us,” Mr Jordan said.
“If anything adds cost to our business, that’s somebody’s airfare going up – we don’t want to do that.”
The carrier has 17 destinations and 27 routes – all of which are regional – except for Melbourne.
In early January, Mr Jordan told TND that the airline hopes to expand into other states and territories at a later date.
“Our initial route map is only the beginning. We’d love to see our purple planes in WA, NT, Tasmania, ACT and SA skies in the future but for now, our focus is on earning the right to grow.”
And 93 per cent of Bonza routes are not serviced by any airline, with 96 per cent not serviced by a low-cost carrier.
Bonza will be flying from Melbourne and Tullamarine airports soon, but Mr Jordan said operating out of Sydney was not “commercially viable” at present.
“Of course, we have interest in places like Sydney,” he said.
“However, it needs to be on a long-term commercial basis that can support our plan. That’s very important to us.
“They’re not as keen to come to the table … maybe they don’t see the opportunity.”
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie said the launch was a “momentous day” for the Sunshine Coast, the home base for Bonza.
The arrival of Bonza signals a new era for the airport and the region, he said.
“Our partnership with Bonza is just the beginning as we look forward to a bright future and bringing even more destinations to our airport that will grow employment and tourism.”
Bonza says it is “finalising” a detailed strategy and commitments relating to sustainability and responsible tourism.
Professor Rico Merkert, chair in transport and supply chain management at the University of Sydney, said decarbonisation of the airline industry is the “elephant in the room” and should be on the mind of any airline start-up.
“One advantage of Bonza is their fleet of B737 Max, which is very fuel efficient and hence more environmentally friendly (20 per cent more fuel efficient and 50 per cent quieter than its predecessors) than fleets of competing airlines in Australia,” he said.