The first Bonza flight has taken off from Melbourne Airport heading for the Sunshine Coast, marking the start of services from the airline’s only capital city base.
Bonza will operate two Boeing 737-MAX aircraft from Melbourne Airport, covering nine routes across regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. By the end of May, the airline expects to be operating 24 flights a week.
The airline will fly from Melbourne to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay, Mildura, Port Macquarie, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, Tamworth and Toowoomba Wellcamp.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus says Bonza’s services mean Victorians can “affordably connect with family and friends around eastern Australia”.
“As Bonza’s second home base and the only capital city on its network, we’re thrilled to see Bonza’s distinctive purple plane here on Melbourne Airport’s Tarmac today,” she says.
“It’s been a long time since Australia has had a brand-new airline,” says Argus. “These nine routes also mean interstate and regional visitors can easily connect with Melbourne for a weekend trip.”