Bonza Airline Discussion

[Quickstatus]

feel good Aussie "bogan" approach to their business model.

AKA "She'll be right mate".

 

[henrus]

Link please thanks

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[Quickstatus]

takeover?

Yes what are the current assets and liabilities?.

 

[bdl]

Maybe SQ will buy it and they’ll join Star Alliance!

And 'enhance' the budgie smugglers as "Temasek Tackle Tamers<tm>"

 

[Chicken]

Having done a lot of work with local councils… pissing money up the wall does seem to be their speciality!

Yep, having been to a conucil meeting in my area, some of these people are from another planet. I don't even know how did these people get voted in.

These people aren’t bus drivers. They won’t be starting with another company tomorrow (or even in the next few months) and they’ll be packing up and moving their entire families across the country or world once again. How about a little humility?

Maybe you have not actually thought about the possible thoughts and feelings of someone who has been working for Bonza?

If I was working for Bonza, I would have seen everything you have all seen, plus more. I would have seen my own airline going:
- middle size timetables
- middle size timetables with big plans
- plans falling thru
- middle size timetables getting smaller
- we cannot even follow our own timetables
- middle size timetables to near non existance (OOL to MEL one flight per week, how do you even unpack this)
- my own job changing, from working for an airline, to working for a busline

I would have, spent at least the last 2 months, stressing / thinking seriously about my future, thinking how fast is this ship sinking, when should I jump how soon should I jump, is management going to make me redundant and have the money to pay me redundency, or is the ship taking in water so fast that whoever jumps first don't have to die?

I would have thanked God that today has come, and the decision has made for me. I would have thanked God that it is happening today, not 3 months down the track, which would result in me getting 3 more months of anxiety, and also result in every last bit of money getting wasted that they won't have any money left to pay my super.

Today is the day where we could breath a sigh a relief, and move on with life.

Of course, everyone take in these things differently. For me, I cannot see how could things get any better than what unfolded today. The last 4 months has been a torturous slow speed playing of watching a car crash / some episode of TV comedy show.

What happened here is completely different from what happened to VA1. When VA1 crashed in 2020, that was really sad, to me. It was run as an airline, no one saw VA1 going bust coming, it was truly unexpected.

 

[pauly7]

Some zingers coming out from ‘aviation experts’ on ABC radio tonight… plenty of creative plays on the name but this one was also good:

‘They started an airline flying between places not many people wanted to fly between, on aircraft models no one wants to fly on and didn’t sell tickets in the way most Australians buy airline tickets, what could have possibly gone wrong?’

 

[Chicken]

Some zingers coming out from ‘aviation experts’ on ABC radio tonight… plenty of creative plays on the name but this one was also good:

‘They started an airline flying between places not many people wanted to fly between, on aircraft models no one wants to fly on and didn’t sell tickets in the way most Australians buy airline tickets, what could have possibly gone wrong?’

There were so many problems with this airline, where do we even start?
But then again, how did someone from Virgin Australia managed to bring the airline into such situation which created an opportunity for this to happen?

 

[elanshin]

I legitimately wonder if the QF group, VA or Rex might try to pick up one of the busier routes maybe out of ABX or MCY having seen what was working and what wasn't.

 

[HS-TQE]

There were so many problems with this airline, where do we even start?
But then again, how did someone from Virgin Australia managed to bring the airline into such situation which created an opportunity for this to happen?

The bloke left when VA was still known as VB. Jumped before the Borghetti firing spree began when he first took over VB.

 

[ruben38]

I had a very good flight with Bonza to Tamworth last year for work and thought they were excellent. Flight on time, good service, modern plane. Unfortunately on the back of that I went ahead and booked flights in June for a family holiday Melbourne to Mackay. Obviously not happening now.

Anyone think there's any chance of getting a refund on the flights, or do I just write it off?

 

[fly2earth]

Some zingers coming out from ‘aviation experts’ on ABC radio tonight… plenty of creative plays on the name but this one was also good:

‘They started an airline flying between places not many people wanted to fly between, on aircraft models no one wants to fly on and didn’t sell tickets in the way most Australians buy airline tickets, what could have possibly gone wrong?’

So true. I would have loved to try them but cannot go regional (don't know what to do out there) plus I have to go to second tier cities just to take their flights. Also safety is a consideration (Jetstar is coughpy but is trained by Qantas pilots, at least I try to convince myself along that line of logic when taking JQ). Also don't want to be installing an extra malware on my app/too lasy to download another app if it aint on google flights. Nowadays I always take Rex as my first choice even though I have status on the other two airlines because their J class meals are actually edible as in I actually look forward to having them tradeoff is that I'm skipping out on the lounge benefits.

 

[Saab34]

Anyone think there's any chance of getting a refund on the flights, or do I just write it off?

No chance. Unsecured creditor.

777 Partners will take the lions share being a secured creditor, if any drops of cash remain.

I’d start a credit card chargeback, and just move on. Perhaps wait a week to see if the others launch relief fares or something.

 

[Mattg]

What about the budgie smugglers? Are they still for sale?

Me visualising all the staffs from Hall Chadwick going thru all the budgie smugglers, then carrying them out in cartons, at the liquidator's auction.

I’d be tempted to buy one. They’re now a piece of aviation history that I don’t think we’ll ever see again.

 

[Saab34]

Camaust have some 1/200 scale models still in stock for those wanting a piece of history. We are unlikely to see a significant new RPT player for a long while, if ever again.

I think the scene is now set for the next few decades. Still a bit unknown what Rex will look like. They will play an important part in keeping prices down on capital routes. The reality is in the long run, fares will remain high, book ahead and grab sale fares where you can.

 

[Chicken]

The bloke left when VA was still known as VB. Jumped before the Borghetti firing spree began when he first took over VB.

So you mean Tim is an amateur?

So true. I would have loved to try them but cannot go regional (don't know what to do out there) plus I have to go to second tier cities just to take their flights.

I live in Sydney, but I love going to western NSW, and other regional towns. They are way more interesting, than going to like Byron or Port Macquarie.

I did install Bonza on my phone only 2 months ago just to check it out, and it was impossible for me to fly them, as they were only leaving from Newcastle in NSW, they didn't have a hub in NSW, so it would have been a pain to get to Newcastle airport, then I would have had to pay for a flight to I can't remember MCY or OOL, before going anywhere else. It just turned into a too hard basket.

 

[justinbrett]

I think the scene is now set for the next few decades.

With the projected popularion growth, constraints at major airports and lack of any viable fast rail, I think the Australian aviation market is going to look completely different in a few decades. Just as the market now looks completely different to a few decades ago.

 

[AFF Editor]

I've written an opinion piece on what I think went wrong with Bonza:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/why-bonza-failed/

Feel free to discuss, agree or disagree.

 

[Natalie's Dad]

With the projected popularion growth, constraints at major airports and lack of any viable fast rail, I think the Australian aviation market is going to look completely different in a few decades. Just as the market now looks completely different to a few decades ago.

I came hear to troll joke that the app isn't showing dates for me.

It's rare I get caught on a opinion from a forum or social media these days. You did miss the inquiry that has to be coming for Qantas, that should really shake things up.

 

[Revenge]

I've written an opinion piece of what I think went wrong with Bonza:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/why-bonza-failed/

Feel free to discuss, agree or disagree.

Great article @AFF Editor , I really enjoyed your analysis.

 

[jb747]

Also safety is a consideration (Jetstar is coughpy but is trained by Qantas pilots, at least I try to convince myself along that line of logic when taking JQ).

Ah, not really. The quote from ex glorious leader was the he didn’t want the QF pilots to contaminate those from JQ.