Bonza Airline Discussion

[A321]

UIK still on the ground. No Nauru in sight today, 5 out of 6 OOL depts cancelled. Albury still running with creative MCY-ABX-OOL-ABX-MCY routing making flights hours early or hours late.

 

[justinbrett]

Bonza are completely uncontactable. Web/app chat is the only way and they're just ignoring it.

I think I'm gonna go ahead and book a replacement flight on QF before the rest of the pax wise up and do the same (my flight is "sold out" but still no word about cancellation).

Can't see me ever giving Bonza another chance. They're done as far as I'm concerned.

 

[justinbrett]

I managed to get a WP seat release on BDB-BNE, and because it was processed through South Africa it wasn't confirmed on the phone (but was confirmed 5 minutes later). So now I have a confirmed seat but haven't paid for it, so I can draw it out a few more days to see if I get any confirmation from Bonza.

Cheapest flight on QF was $262 so good use of 8000 points.

 

[Harrison_133]

I think I'm gonna go ahead and book a replacement flight on QF before the rest of the pax wise up and do the same (my flight is "sold out" but still no word about cancellation).

In the same boat. I’ve already booked another flight, luckily MEL-OOL was still reasonably priced for next week. I certainly wasn’t waiting to see the prices at the time Bonza send the inevitable cancellation message.

The radio silence from Bonza is deafening. It’s apparent to anyone paying attention that they’re having issues getting regulatory approval. I’ve read elsewhere that further Nauru flights are planned throughout December, so Bonza obviously know which flights are going to be affected. They just need to communicate that and stop leaving people in limbo — especially when in most circumstances they’re only offering a refund.

I think people would have more respect for them if they released a transparent statement about the situation, rather than letting Chinese whispers circulate about why all these flights (not just the Darwin ones as the media spin believes) are mysteriously getting cancelled. Of course, there’s lots of comments about it being a big conspiracy that CASA trying to protect Qantas by delaying approval for Flair. <Inserts Eye Roll>

At this point I just don’t trust Bonza, which is a shame really, because I enjoyed their onboard product on my previous flights.

Albury still running with creative MCY-ABX-OOL-ABX-MCY routing making flights hours early or hours late.

TSV-ROK was cancelled to facilitate that.

For the Gold Coast tomorrow, it seems UIK is scheduled for the Mount Isa inaugural, with Nauru operating the Mackay and Launceston flights. Avalon is cancelled.

 

[servicerequired]

Do we know what the status is of Saturday's MEL-WTB flight?

I have a situation where I need to be in Toowoomba on Saturday - I am extremely hesitant to even book with Bonza, regardless though, the app gets to the payment screen, then when I press pay, I am receiving an error!

Reservation Exception
We were unable to reserve one or more of your selections.

 

[justinbrett]

Do we know what the status is of Saturday's MEL-WTB flight?

I have a situation where I need to be in Toowoomba on Saturday - I am extremely hesitant to even book with Bonza, regardless though, the app gets to the payment screen, then when I press pay, I am receiving an error!

Reservation Exception
We were unable to reserve one or more of your selections.

The flight is still showing for sale, which is a better position than most of us.

It sounds more like a technical issue with their booking system than a specific problem with your flight. However, I'd always have a plan B with Bonza.

 

[PineappleSkip]

I have a situation where I need to be in Toowoomba on Saturday

If you have to be there, I’d be wary of Bonza. Another option would be to fly to BNE, rent a car and do the easy 2 hour drive up.

 

[henrus]

So in a rather amusing update.

I flew on the first TSV-OOL flight 19 days ago and purchased some food via the wifi onboard. I have in the last half hour received the receipt via email and the charge has only just appeared on my credit card.

I'm kind of speechless that it's taken them 19 days to charge me for a hotdog (or as bonza call it "Snag in a bag"). Now to be fair to Bonza they use the third party Alpha catering (part of the dnata group) to process these orders but still 19 days is excessive when it's always within 48 hours on Jetstar/Virgin or Air New Zealand.

 

[justinbrett]

So in a rather amusing update.

I flew on the first TSV-OOL flight 19 days ago and purchased some food via the wifi onboard. I have in the last half hour received the receipt via email and the charge has only just appeared on my credit card.

I'm kind of speechless that it's taken them 19 days to charge me for a hotdog (or as bonza call it "Snag in a bag"). Now to be fair to Bonza they use the third party Alpha catering (part of the dnata group) to process these orders but still 19 days is excessive when it's always within 48 hours on Jetstar/Virgin or Air New Zealand.

In my experience JQ charges before the door is open. I usually get my bank notification whilst waiting to get off.

I‘m guessing Bonza needs all the cash it can get at the moment with all the refunds it’s about to pay out.

 

[servicerequired]

If you have to be there, I’d be wary of Bonza. Another option would be to fly to BNE, rent a car and do the easy 2 hour drive up.

That is exactly what I've done.

 

[Harrison_133]

Next Flair aircraft is C-FLHI, which is currently hopping around Canada on Flair revenue flights wearing the same hideous Bonza stickers as the first aircraft.

 

[UP4014]

Radio silence is never a good thing for any business, while I'm not saying it in this case, it's often a sign of financial trouble.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm not saying it in this case

I am.

 

[UP4014]

I am.

November saw some foreign crewing and their Florida parent under attack for high aircraft lease costs. Not very bonza.

 

[justinbrett]

News is starting to trickle in local papers about route cancellations - but only ever the specific route that paper covers.

Nobody is covering the big story, and not a word from Bonza in the mainstream news. Any normal airline would do a bulk cancellation and send out an email. Bonza have already told pax (on earlier flights that were cancelled) they can auto refund without any action from the pax. So they could be doing this for all affected pax.

Suggests to me they’re trying to hang on to the cash as long as possible.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

reposting this from another forum which might cross-identify myself, but who cares...

Australia and Canada have pretty much the same aviation safety records. Pretty much the same Pilot and LAME requirements. Pretty much the same Pilot and Engineering pay-scales. They are both prosperous first world countries that adhere to aviation regulations.

So what the flying duck is CASA's problem? Oh wait we have to have our Christmas booze-up and play lots of golf and other stuff, and THEN we'll sign off what we were meant to now, in January. This is beyond a joke. Thousands of working class Australians left stranded and out of pocket, which is a bit different from the regular AFF Rich Unts. yeah yah use your points, get a hire car and get an overpriced 1* flight, book yourself into that 4 star new hotel overlooking OOL airport but just don't forget about the forgotten australians.

Good on the Flair Pilots and Cabin Crew though, enjoy the GC and down south beaches!

I also have a OOL-TSV flight booked, but unlike you QF Platinum/OW Emerald Vips I'll trust them, 2 days earlier or later for Chrissy don't make much of a difference.

 

[kaceybutler]

UIK is back in the air, repositioning from OOL to MCY as AB8888

 

[justinbrett]

News is finally hitting the mainstream media.

I’m not a subscriber but this seems to confirm what we all suspected.

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/bonza-warns-gold-coast-passengers-of-further-disruptions/news-story/44233489fb30167d3baf6e528ca6108a?amp&nk=049f49503a860d7b0c6177b4c53e8d29-1701770870

The Melbourne flights got a specific mention on news com au. JQ offering special fares for Bonza pax (seems like a post bankruptcy move - wonder if they had that dusted off ready to go?)

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/bonza-scraps-flights-from-melbourne-to-gold-coast-ahead-of-christmas/news-story/fe0aa66afa6f6233b4e99943ed4a3a18?amp

 

[Harrison_133]

The Melbourne flights got a specific mention on news com au. JQ offering special fares for Bonza pax (seems like a post bankruptcy move - wonder if they had that dusted off ready to go?)

Hmmm… AVV-OOL delayed indefinitely. I got my ‘it’s time to check in’ email alert this morning. Doesn’t instil a lot of confidence.

Glad I’ve got a back up flight booked — which I’ll probably take regardless if Bonza ends up operating or not.

 

[justinbrett]

Hmmm… AVV-OOL delayed indefinitely. I got my ‘it’s time to check in’ email alert this morning. Doesn’t instil a lot of confidence.

Glad I’ve got a back up flight booked — which I’ll probably take regardless if Bonza ends up operating or not.

The GCB article implies there's a bunch of routes delayed indefinitely - I would assume it's all those which have had all flights removed from sale (I think includes but not limited to CNS, BDB, GLT, MKY, AVV and of course DRW)

Thousands of working class Australians left stranded and out of pocket, which is a bit different from the regular AFF Rich Unts. yeah yah use your points, get a hire car and get an overpriced 1* flight, book yourself into that 4 star new hotel overlooking OOL airport but just don't forget about the forgotten australians.

AFF has a diverse membership representing the full spectrum of economic situations. If you're refering to me being able to use points to book my QF flight, it was 8000 points + $65 tax vs $269 cash one way. That gives me 2.5c per point which is good value. I'm ex-OOL and visiting my Dad in BDB and he's picking me up from the airport. So...

I also have a OOL-TSV flight booked, but unlike you QF Platinum/OW Emerald Vips I'll trust them, 2 days earlier or later for Chrissy don't make much of a difference.

If you have the ability to travel this close to Christmas and able to afford last minute replacement flights, loss of accommodation and/or any of the other expenses that would be incurred if Bonza was to cancel/delay your flight without you having a backup option, I would argue you are demonstrating means above the average member on AFF.