Bonza Takes Off for the First time on 31 January 2023

Bonza, Australia’s newest and only independent low-cost airline, launched its historic inaugural flight on 31 January 2023 from its base airport at Sunshine Coast Airport to Whitsunday Coast Airport. Bonza will offer an additional 772,000 seats into the region over the next 12 months, which will generate over A$86 million in visitor expenditure, shared Sunshine Coast Airport Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brodie.

The airline threw a sale on its flights few days before the inaugural flight and over 10,000 seats have been snapped up. Bonza is committed to be “Here for Allstralia”. The airline plans to fly 27 routes to 17 destinations where 93% of its routes are not served by any airline and 96% not currently served by a low-cost carrier as at 1 June 2022. Customers can only book flights on the FlyBonza app.

The airline has three aircraft currently – Shazza arrived in August 2022, Bazza arrived in October 2022 and Sheila in December 2022. Bonza was granted its Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in January 2023

An all-Aussie menu is available onboard. The menu features products made by small Australian businesses including one social enterprise and several others that give a percentage of profits to charities. 40 products including non-alcoholic beer, banana bread waffles and a snag in a bag are available on demand from the Fly Bonza app.

You won’t see catering trolleys onboard. Cabin crew will be assigned seat rows to look after during each flight. Customers can make multiple orders during their flight. People in the last row no longer have to wait for everyone else to be served and risk missing out on a meal preference.

All items will be progressively introduced to Bonza’s entire network as their team of legends work in partnership with the food producers on the menu.

Bonza’s cabin crew legends will be serving Heaps Normal Quiet XPA, cold drip coffee by Sunshine Coast-based business Groundskeeper Willie, healthy fava beans by Happy Snack Company, Mildura Chocolate Company‘s giant chocolate freckles. Affordable snacks also include Aussie Biscuits– a social enterprise who employ people with disabilities in Forbes, regional NSW.

Other menu highlights include Saxbys range of soft drinks – a 158-year-old family business from regional NSW.  Sunshine & Sons, and Ned Australian Whisky spirits can be mixed with tonic from Bickford & Sons or travellers can grab a Preshafruit or bottled Nu-Pure water from Queensland.

The Handmade Food Co., Silver Tongue Foods and Mama Kaz are among the Aussie food companies onboard supplying sandwiches, crackers and muffins to Bonza customers.

Vegan and keto-friendly AmazeBalls Popped Cheese from Ashgrove Cheese is onboard while Chappy’s Snacks is providing vegan-friendly, kettle-cooked potato chips.

The airline’s uniforms feature Australian aviation’s first-ever ‘wear it your way’ range with white custom sneakers and cotton t-shirts with various mix-and-match options. Designed by Total Image Group. Pilots will don a crisp white button-up shirt with an on-shirt logo, tailored pants and a charcoal blazer with silver stripes with purple lining in the blazer, inside the shirt collar. Total Image Group are working with Bonza to extend the range to include crew sunglasses.

“Our team of legends couldn’t be more excited to begin connecting Aussies for holidays and time with loved ones. What better place to start than arguably two of the country’s favourite holiday destinations. Whether you are snorkelling the Whitsunday Islands or grabbing a cold one in the craft beer capital of Australia – the Sunshine Coast – we are humbled to take you there. Today’s milestone flight comes at a time where demand is high for Aussies to explore their own backyard”

Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza.