Bonza Airline Discussion

[Bundy Bear]

Are they serious? Surely at this point they're just trolling us.

Bonza toys with Canberra take-off | Canberra CityNews

Australia's newest airline could be adding Canberra to its routes, but not just yet, reports SCOTT MAYMAN.

citynews.com.au

I guess they are hoping that Canberra airport knows someone at CASA to hurry up the review process.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

I have a Bonza flight booked on 14th December OOL-TSV. AB1527 or ON1527 if Nauru flies it. Showing as sold out on the Bonza app. They allowed me to check in and put the boarding pass in their app. Seeing the flight history 99.9 percent that it will be cancelled. No communication from Bonza about cancellation four days out.

That's pretty p*ss weak. What the hell are they doing at Bonza HQ in the SC? Surfing and waiting for last minute CASA approval? Don't they know the 'good ol boys' and the young MBA grads at CASA are on holiday already?

 

[Harrison_133]

I have a Bonza flight booked on 14th December OOL-TSV. AB1527 or ON1527 if Nauru flies it. Showing as sold out on the Bonza app. They allowed me to check in and put the boarding pass in their app.

My flight was the same with check-in, then they cancelled 5 days out.

I’m not liking your chances. It seems like they’re cancelling flights in batches, a few days each time. At the moment, they’ve officially released the cancellations for flights up until the 13th.

They’ve taken an axe to the OOL schedule over the last week, cancelling at least 2/3 of flights rather than getting Nauru to operate. The last Nauru replacement was on the 6th, and as far as I can tell, they’re not scheduled over the next 3 days either.

The whole thing is turning into a clown show at this point. The utter lack of communication is probably what irks me the most.

Are they serious? Surely at this point they're just trolling us.

Bonza toys with Canberra take-off | Canberra CityNews

Australia's newest airline could be adding Canberra to its routes, but not just yet, reports SCOTT MAYMAN.

citynews.com.au

They really don’t know how to read the room do they…

 

[Saab34]

A little snippet from CASA. Seems like a large task to get it up, sounds like they need to bring a small training/checking department with them, plus an engineering team. Cost blowouts would probably indicate they won’t do this next year.

In a statement, a spokesperson for CASA said Bonza needed “to demonstrate how they will integrate these Canadian-registered aircraft and crew members into their operation”.

“This is an important part of Australian aviation safety regulations,” the statement said.

Under Australian aviation regulations, operators must have “comprehensive safety systems” covering issues such as crew training and checking, maintenance and emergency procedures.

The Canadian-registered Flair aircraft are not part of the existing approval which gave Bonza the green light to start operations in January out of the Sunshine Coast.

 

[justinbrett]

Bonza just cancelled my flight for the 18th (and 15th was still showing last night) but now it seems all December flights have gone.

Why it took them this long I’ll never know.

 

[Saab34]

Bonza just cancelled my flight for the 18th (and 15th was still showing last night) but now it seems all December flights have gone.

Why it took them this long I’ll never know.

Likely over confidence that they could get this Flair thing over the line.

It appears not.

looks like they have also pulled a aircraft from MCY to send to Melbourne to operate the MEL-ASP-MEL flight.

Such a mess. I think they should just admit defeat, pull the whole Flair thing, redo the whole schedule back to the 4 aircraft they have. In future, just grow with its own aircraft and crew.

 

[dajop]

Likely over confidence that they could get this Flair thing over the line.

I'd bet the person who overseas the CASA relationship said would be difficult -> impossible, and management didn't listen and said make it happen. Either they needed the $$$ or the got greedy with Christmas holidays and took the risk - which has spectacularly backfired.

 

[Saab34]

I'd bet the person who overseas the CASA relationship said would be difficult -> impossible, and management didn't listen and said make it happen. Either they needed the $$$ or the got greedy with Christmas holidays and took the risk - which has spectacularly backfired.

The cost blowout from this would be quite significant. Say a four month deal with Flair for 2 aircraft, plus crew, plus accommodation for many months would be considerable, would be in the tens of millions.

Might be easier to just cut the losses and walk.

I reckon they became way too desperate with handouts from certain parties to setup this base so they rushed. I certainly won’t be flying this outfit until they have all aircraft available to service routes, plus a spare.

 

[Berlin]

I'd bet the person who overseas the CASA relationship said would be difficult -> impossible, and management didn't listen and said make it happen. Either they needed the $$$ or the got greedy with Christmas holidays and took the risk - which has spectacularly backfired.

Yea- greed paired with incompetence would be my guess. Not such a huge surprise though, in the scope of things.

 

[A321]

Serious question asked with not much background knowledge. Why not get Alliance to jump in and help? Cost too much?

 

[dajop]

The cost blowout from this would be quite significant. Say a four month deal with Flair for 2 aircraft, plus crew, plus accommodation for many months would be considerable, would be in the tens of millions.

But that's what PE does, isn't it? Roll the dice. Regular investors wouldn't take these sorts of risks.

 

[yachty]

Serious question asked with not much background knowledge. Why not get Alliance to jump in and help? Cost too much?

Seems that was the plan with Nauru but it didn't last long (perhaps they expected Flair to get approval and only intended it as a stopgap). I'd bet the cost of last minute charters + covering the Flair aircraft and crew costs is simply too much for Bonza to absorb right now.

E190s might be too small also.

 

[Harrison_133]

The Flair aircraft is up in the air, doing laps around the Sunshine Coast.

Reading elsewhere, these are part of certification flights. Pending the final tick of approval, it should enter service tomorrow.

 

[Saab34]

What date have they cancelled OOL flights up to?

 

[Harrison_133]

What date have they cancelled OOL flights up to?

Bundaberg, Darwin & Gladstone now commence the first week of January. All other routes are still being removed only a few days in advance.

For tomorrow, they still have Cairns, Mackay & Proserpine available for purchase. Avalon & Townsville are showing as ‘Sold Out’ meaning they haven’t actually been cancelled… yet.

Obviously they have some confidence these test flights today will get them the green light, but we’ve seen them jump the gun before.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

Avalon & Townsville are showing as ‘Sold Out’ meaning they haven’t actually been cancelled… yet.

Seems OOL-TSV is flying today and tommorow.

Pending the final tick of approval, it should enter service tomorrow.

Haha I'll believe when I see it. Isn't it CASA Golf day today

 

[Saab34]

Might be currency check. You would have dozens of flair pilots who have not flown now in 6-8 weeks

Perhaps some have gone to Canada

 

[justinbrett]

Seems to be confirmed

Australia's Bonza expects to sort wet-lease regulatory snafu

Bonza (AB, Sunshine Coast) expects to receive the appropriate regulatory approvals to operate wet-leased B737-8s in around seven days, rebooting the failed launch of its third Gold Coast Coolangatta base and paving the way for the second wet-leased aircraft to ferry in from Canada. The...

www.ch-aviation.com

 

[Harrison_133]

Avalon, Cairns, Mildura & Proserpine have now been pushed back a week.

Seems OOL-TSV is flying today and tommorow.

Now removed from the app, along with the Launceston flight on Friday.

 

[Saab34]

Looks like still a bit to happen then, end of next week, well I wouldn’t hold my breath.

I guess they might be able to service the post Xmas crowd.