Bonza’s first flight between Tamworth and Sunshine Coast today marked the 13th and final route launch as part of their initial rollout from their home base at Sunshine Coast. The carrier now offers 39 weekly flights from Sunshine Coast Airport.
On Saturday (May 6, 2023), Bonza announced the launch of new service between Tamworth and Sunshine Coast, marking the 13th and final route launch as part of their initial rollout from their home base at Sunshine Coast Airport. To celebrate the launch, customers from Tamworth were welcomed by a troupe of Sunshine Coast line dancers and musicians from the Gympie Music Muster. The carrier now offers 39 weekly flights from Sunny Coast, including service to Albury, Avalon, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Mackay, Melbourne, Mildura, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Rockhampton, Tamworth, Townsville, and the Whitsunday Coast. The Tamworth-Sunshine Coast route will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays with one-way fares from $49 per person.
In Saturday’s announcement, Bonza’s Chief Commercial Officer, Carly Povey, said,
“Today we complete the roll out of our initial route map from our Sunshine Coast base. Customer feedback and support from the community has been phenomenal. Now all 13 routes are wheels up from the Sunny Coast, our team of legends are focusing on earning the right to grow. Forward bookings for winter, including the July school holidays, are also looking healthy particularly as Victorians (like myself) seek out winter sun in Queensland. Both our cabin crew legends and customers are loving the absence of a traditional trolley in the aisle. Nowhere ever have I heard a customer ask to bring back the trolley!
“Our partnership with Sunshine Coast Airport as Bonza’s home base is nothing short of Bonza. The collaboration and support from the airport to get Bonza wheels up has been incredible, right from ground operations to marketing and community engagement. We would like to thank them for their ongoing partnership and look forward to a Bonza future together.”
Speaking on the significance of today’s flight, Sunshine Coast Airport’s CEO, Andrew Brodie, said,
“We are delighted to welcome the first flight from Tamworth to the Sunshine Coast as Bonza connects these two communities and opens up opportunities for locals to enjoy events like the Gympie Music Muster or the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
“Bonza is now wheels up from its home base marking a major milestone for the airport as we look forward to a bright future with Australia's newest airline, future infrastructure upgrades and the 2032 Olympics. My message to locals on the Sunshine Coast is to get behind Bonza and forget the long car rides or connecting flights via major city airports. It’s time to explore your own backyard with low-cost flights direct from the Sunshine Coast.”
From Bonza’s first-ever flight on January 31, 2023 to Whitsunday Coast through April, the carrier has already served over 60,000 guests traveling to and from the Sunshine Coast.
Onboard Bonza’s brand-new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, customers enjoy charging and USB ports at every seat, as well as an all Aussie menu ordered on-demand via the Bonza app and delivered directly to the customers’ seats. The most popular menu item has been the Silver Tongue Foods lavosh crackers, which are made on the Sunshine Coast, with over 65kg sold. Bonza has also sold more than 790 liters of beer or 16 kegs, including brews from Your Mates Brewing, Spinifex, Ballistic and Heaps Normal. Additionally, nearly 350 liters of Sirromet wine has been enjoyed onboard, approximately 1.5 oak barrels.
Bonza is Australia’s new, and only independent low-cost carrier (LCC), enabling Australians to explore more of their own backyard at low prices. The airline currently operates a fleet of five brand new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, which will grow to eight by the end of the first year of operations. Bonza’s initial route map includes 27 routes to 17 destinations. Over 90 percent of Bonza routes are not served by any airline, and 96 percent are not served by a low-cost carrier. The lowest fares are now available for booking on the FlyBonza App.
Source: Bonza