Bonza Airline Discussion

[Boeyn]

Oh wow this is some rookie coding:

https://www.flybonza.com/controllers/bookingProcess/searchCalendar.php?type=OW&adults=1&children=0&infants=0&fromDst=MCY&toDst=MEL

You can change destination/origin to get the raw result of prices.

Additionally the whole site is delivered in a weird way, some very interesting info delivered to the browser:


Free seats : 24 - wonder how true this is?
Class Code - Q? Is this the first time we are seeing bonza fare classes?

Granted they often aren't as easy to find/manipulate as this Bonza one, but I'd wager that just about every website you regularly use would rely on APIs like this to function. Modern day websites are much more efficient to serve to a user by pumping the raw data to their brower and for the rendering to happen at their end (client side) than it is for the site to be packaged up on the website's end (server side) and sent to the user in a static form.

By way of example/comparison, the flight availability API on VA's website serves up some equally interesting data fields that aren't always visible to the user on the website (I am using the 'Inspect' tool in Chrome, which you can access by presing CTRL + ALT + I).

 

[henrus]

Granted they often aren't as easy to find/manipulate as this Bonza one, but I'd wager that just about every website you regularly use would rely on APIs like this to function.

Yes it's very interesting to do the same thing with the manage booking section of VA or other websites.

I guess the difference with Bonza is that no referrer or any form of access keys are need.

 

[Saab34]

Nauru doesn't appear to be operating and some flights using the spare Bonza aircraft have also been cancelled. Crewing issues maybe?

Aircraft required to deal with the boat arrivals over in WA.

 

[docjames]

How did thier operation go over easter weekend and were their flights full in the peakest of peak travel demand periods?

If they cant make money over easter, they are cooked in the long run.

(Full of course doesnt mean profitable, but I assume airafares were suitably priced to match demand…..).

 

[mel-world]

Maybe the Nahru aircraft otherwise occupied flying some illegal arrivals from WA to Nahru. Probably much more lucrative for them as us taxpayers footing the bill.

Oops, someone beat me to it.

 

[Harrison_133]

How did thier operation go over easter weekend and were their flights full in the peakest of peak travel demand periods?

If they cant make money over easter, they are cooked in the long run.

(Full of course doesnt mean profitable, but I assume airafares were suitably priced to match demand…..).

They had quite a few cancelled flights over the Easter weekend (mainly ex-OOL) because of aircraft unavailability.

A number of flights were removed from sale but still operated on the Nauru 737-300, suggesting they at least reached the seat capacity of the -300 on those flights.

 

[Saab34]

Nauru aircraft heading back to OOL tonight .

That 737 parked in the Sunny Coast has been idle for 6 weeks. Not sure what the hold up is.

 

[tcasfail]

More canx ex OOL today, and also over the weekend. Not ideal..

Post automatically merged: Apr 12, 2024

Free seats : 24 - wonder how true this is?

accurate within around <10 seats or so

 

[Saab34]

Nauru can’t seem to operate for them between Friday to Sunday, they look like are tied with their own work.

The aircraft at MCY that was slated for all these flights hasn’t moved since 29th Feb.

 

[Harrison_133]

A few of the Gold Coast routes are showing no, or very few, flights available for sale over the next 2 weeks. Namely OOL-CNS/TSV/MKY/MEL/AVV.

Have also read a few stories of Bonza cancelling flights ex-OOL and offering a bus to Maroochydore and flight from there as an alternative.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Have also read a few stories of Bonza cancelling flights ex-OOL and offering a bus to Maroochydore and flight from there as an alternative

Yes, true @Harrison_133
My brother was heading back from MCY to MKY 3 weeks ago on a weekend - fortunately he has a house in both towns so elected to stay on the Sunny Coast until he could get on the next flight out on the Tuesday (and is retired so no time constraints).

He relayed the story of one very distressed female pax who dissolved into tears as she was only spending 3 days with her family in MKY but the kicker was, she chose to fly out of MCY rather than get a flight from Brissie, she had driven from Brisbane as flights and car parking were cheaper - they were going to bus her to Brisbane, give her a refund or wait till the Tuesday to maybe get the next flight.
He did say the Bonza staff were empathetic but he left before he heard the outcome.

 

[tcasfail]

A few of the Gold Coast routes are showing no, or very few, flights available for sale over the next 2 weeks. Namely OOL-CNS/TSV/MKY/MEL/AVV.

Most of these seem to be the runs Nauru has been operating. OOL-PPP isn't showing until the 27th...

 

[tcasfail]

Interesting to note that Nauru didn’t ferry down to OOL on Sunday/Monday, which is the normal pattern.

 

[Harrison_133]

It's being speculated elsewhere that the lease arrangement between Bonza and Nauru has been terminated...

 

[A321]

Surely the money has dried up. You can't sustain a business on $39 / 50% off fares for long, as well discussed.

 

[henrus]

It's being speculated elsewhere that the lease arrangement between Bonza and Nauru has been terminated...

Ok I'll further spin the speculation wheel:

Either Nauru has had enough and can get more elsewhere like Air Vanautu (struggling without their 737) or AUS gov work.
Nauru isn't being paid fast enough... it's not the first time this has been an issue with 777 partners.

Or Bonza has realised their bleeding cash and it's costing too much to hire Air Nauru aircraft to fill in.

 

[Jenmac1]

Does anyone have a phone number or email to contact bonza
I am
Die a large refund dor
Cancelling flights 12 weeks ago. The chats are not manned. I did get a response from customer support email a chelsea that it will
Take time but she doesn’t answer any further emails. It’s cause me
So much stress!

 

[Jenmac1]

Interesting to note that Bonza has quietly cancelled OOL-Gladstone route. I got a email on 9 March advising route cancellation and a full refund. I then receive a email today advising me to check in! On line chat hopeless and no response to emails.

Did you get the refund im
So stressed have got nothing backed

 

[Saab34]

KordaMentha runs the ruler over Bonza as its Miami PE owner wavers

Sources close to discussions said the corporate restructuring specialists had not been appointed as administrators, but to provide financial advice.

www.afr.com

Generally done when a business is close to declaring bankruptcy.

I wouldn’t expect much to come out of the review aside the fact, they are burning significantly and have no access to funds. Enter Administration is likely the best option. Not sure if anyone would buy it?

 

[HS-TQE]

Can't see any interested parties buying out AB in full. Maybe PAG and/or Bain are waiting for it to "fall over" before declaring interest in the 737-8 leases for REX or Virgin if the Lessors are to 'repo 'those aircraft.