Bonza Airline Discussion

[Saab34]

Cheap J seat if that’s the case.

 

[travelislife]

They seem to spread themselves so thin. Trying to cover so many routes with such a small fleet. Think they need to be building confidence in their consistency first.

 

[Melburnian1]

Flights not on sale yet but “coming soon.” And still nothing past October for the existing routes.

Frequencies for the OOL routes:

• Gold Coast - Albury: 3 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Bundaberg: 2 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Cairns: 5 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Gladstone: 2 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Mackay: 3 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Melbourne Avalon: 3 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Melbourne Tullamarine: 4 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Mildura: 2 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Rockhampton: 3 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Townsville: 5 flights per week
• Gold Coast - Whitsunday Coast: 3 flights per week

Hardly any routes inspire.

The frequencies are so low that if a flight is cancelled, there's not another one on the same day, or in many cases, on the next day (assuming subsequent ones aren't full).

At least if one drives, that gives self control. If one travels by train on shorter routes (Gold Coast to Rocky or Gladstone), if a train failed, normally replacement road coaches would be immediately arranged. With an airline, you're stuck: no alternative transport, and no requirement to transport you on the same day.

How long before AB fails (or, unlikely, is taken over)? Originally I suggested 'within five years': it seems plausible one could advance that to 'within three years'. Perhaps even then I'm being conservative?

Hard to believe the stupidity of continuing to restrict bookings to an app, or through travel agents. The latter aren't keen to promote.

Should 'Bonza' be renamed 'Bodgy'?

 

[docjames]

Flights not on sale yet but “coming soon.” And still nothing past October for the existing routes.

Astounding they don’t forward sell and hold the revenue…….

Their leisure market often will book well in advance. I know it saves them hassle of schedule change, but they get the use of the money in the meantime - and can set “optimistic” fares a long way out (then discount as approaches, then ramp back up as flight gets full).

Seems obvious (sell to 12 months), yet I assume there is a method underneath it i’m not seeing…… leisure travellers will be looking at Xmas, knowing airfares rise substantially from mid December, and will book now if the fare is right and in the market. They are passing a huge selling opportunity.

I also think not having a web booking page really holds them back. Clearly they think otherwise.

Also re: operating the OOL lines, perhaps they will redeploy frames/crews from elsewhere within the 777 partners network??

 

[justinbrett]

Hardly any routes inspire.

What is that supposed to mean?

ex-OOL makes a lot more sense than previous decisions. Not only is the local market big (Gold Coast, NNSW, Southern Brisbane / Logan / Ipswich etc) - several million people; it's also one of the main tourist destinations in the country. There's a couple of questionable routes on here but much more sensible than previous route lists.

If one travels by train on shorter routes (Gold Coast to Rocky or Gladstone),

You're looking at an 11 hour journey from Coolangatta to Rockhampton (Bus to Varsity Lakes, local rail to Roma St, Tilt Train to Rocky).

You can keep that.

 

[aikman]

leisure travellers will be looking at Xmas, knowing airfares rise substantially from mid December, And will book now if the fare is right and in the market

Jetstar can have these lower yielding advance planners. Bonza is probably banking on those unorganised last minute people, perhaps still waiting to get leave approved, who are willing to pay more just to have somewhere to go for Xmas.

Hardly any routes inspire.

The frequencies are so low that if a flight is cancelled, there's not another one on the same day

Does the wet leasing arrangement reduce the risk of cancellation?

Also, why does everything they do have to be negative?
MCY base? Not enough demand
Fly routes never done before? Will definitely fail
App only booking? The public isn't ready for that
Delay the new schedule to optimise the route network? Must be the beginning of the end
Expand to an OOL base? Nope, still won't work, just because

 

[Saab34]

The biggest risk to to an airline like this one is the price of fuel. Very early days yet, but we might be on the up trend again at the moment, few market announcements in that space in recent days, only small increases but does appear like a new trend.

They have zero ability to offset any surge in fuel, no loyalty programs to cushion the blow, no real way to raise airfares, no corporate contracts, they just hope it doesn’t jump too much.

 

[dajop]

The biggest risk to to an airline like this one is the price of fuel. Very early days yet, but we might be on the up trend again at the moment, few market announcements in that space in recent days, only small increases but does appear like a new trend.

They have zero ability to offset any surge in fuel, no loyalty programs to cushion the blow, no real way to raise airfares, no corporate contracts, they just hope it doesn’t jump too much.

Yes agree. The main mitigating factor is that their sales are entirely in AUD, which tends to be a natural hedge against increasing fuel prices (and on the flipside limits ability to take advantage of lower fuel prices) , AUD has a tendency to rise and fall in sync with oil prices (at least until the last few years). So if (and that's a big if) that correlation continues and AUD increases in sync with higher oil price, then that in theory could lower leasing costs also (if leases paid in USD).

 

[Saab34]

They have announced the below.
Flair to operate Bonza

Interesting concept. Will need to do a flight, would be bizarre flying a Canadian LCC domestically here. Will go for a joy ride.

 

[Harrison_133]

Flights until May 5th 2024 are now on sale.

Existing routes remain the same except a few that have their days of operation switched.

The frequency decreases that were just implemented seem permanent and remain in the schedule extension. Sunshine Coast to Melbourne Tullamarine also reduces to 3x weekly.

Gold Coast routes also now on sale, although only until the end of March.

 

[Saab34]

I hope this is all CASA above board, I mean we wouldn’t want any last minute cancellations or something (remember Tiger Bali).

I do find it strange that the process to obtain a CASA AOC is somewhat ‘full on’, then a random foreign operator without being through such a process can operate scheduled domestic flights for half the year.

 

[justinbrett]

I hope this is all CASA above board, I mean we wouldn’t want any last minute cancellations or something (remember Tiger Bali).

I do find it strange that the process to obtain a CASA AOC is somewhat ‘full on’, then a random foreign operator without being through such a process can operate scheduled domestic flights for half the year.

Who said they don’t need to get an AOC?

Pretty sure they do. It’s a foreign AOC, takes about 4 months, and is based on validating their current (Canadian) AOC for use in Australia. Granting a new Australian AOC is starting from scratch as there is no foreign AOC to base it on.

 

[henrus]

So it seems the first flight out of the Gold Coast is 15 November to Townsville.

 

[Mattg]

I'm not able to view any dates nor book a flight for the OOL routes in the Fly Bonza app. Have tried deleting and reinstalling the app, as per the suggestion on Bonza's Facebook page, but it still doesn't work.

 

[henrus]

I'm not able to view any dates nor book a flight for the OOL routes in the Fly Bonza app.

iOS or android? Was able to book OOL—TSV return on the first date of OOL operations with the iOS app.

 

[Saab34]

Come to think about it not sure they just didn’t brand Bonza as Flair Australia from the get go.

 

[PineappleSkip]

iOS or android? Was able to book OOL—TSV return on the first date of OOL operations with the iOS app.

That routing I can see and book on the android version

 

[Mattg]

iOS or android? Was able to book OOL—TSV return on the first date of OOL operations with the iOS app.

It’s not working for me on iOS.

 

[justinbrett]

It’s not working for me on iOS.

I have the iOS version, I updated the version on launch as prompted, then when I first checked the calendar didn’t appear, then the app crashed and rebooted itself. Then it worked.

 

[henrus]

Anyone else booked in the inaugural OOL-TSV flight?

Most of the seat map is blocked and the initial flight schedule leaves 6 hours in Townsville making me think it'll be a media event.