Australia’s newest airline Bonza has announced the launch of its second base at Melbourne Tullamarine.
Melbourne entry!
Bonza will base two of its Boeing B737MAX-8 aircraft at Melbourne, which will used to operate flights to 11 destinations on 12 routes. Seven of these routes are not operated by any other airline, something which Bonza has been targeting from the very start.
Bonza’s inaugural flight from its new Melbourne base took off on 30th March 2023 bound for Sunshine Coast, another base for Bonza. The Melbourne base is home to multiple Bonza legends (Bonza calls its team members “legends”).
Our team of legends have been working hard to set up and launch our second base at Melbourne Tullamarine. The Victorian capital is our second home and based here are a number of cabin crew, pilots and first officers who get to come home after a day travelling to regional destinations on our route map.
said Tim Jordan, Chief Executive Officer, Bonza.
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Bonza’s nine routes out of Melbourne are:
- Sunshine Coast: already operating 4-times-a-week
- Rockhampton: 3-flights-a-week starting 11th April 2023
- Toowoomba Wellcamp: 4-flights-a-week starting 17th April 2023
- Tamworth: 2-flights-a-week starting 2nd May 2023
- Port Macquarie: 2-flights-a-week starting 4th May 2023
- Mildura: 3-flights-a-week starting 8th May 2023
- Bundaberg: 2-flights-a-week starting 10th May 2023
- Gladstone: 2-flights-a-week starting 11th May 2023
- Mackay: 2-flights-a-week starting 23rd May 2023
Bonza will also start flying on the following three routes:
- Toowoomba Wellcamp-Townsville: 2-flights-a-week starting 19th April 2023
- Toowoomba Wellcamp-Whitsunday Coast: 2-flights-a-week starting 21st April 2023
- Tamworth-Sunshine Coast: 2-flights-a-week starting 6th May 2023
App-first strategy
Bonza is the first ever Australian airline to launch with an “app-first” strategy. The only way to book Bonza flights directly is through its mobile application.
Bonza says that over 1,00,000 seats have been sold until now through its app. The airline adds that Aussies are embracing the airline’s app first approach with hundreds of thousands of downloads taking it to number one most popular app on Android and number one in the travel section of Apple.
Focus on Melbourne
Jordan says that there has never been a better time for Bonza to enter the market of Melbourne. With Melbourne poised to overtake Sydney to become the largest city in Australia, and regional populations booming, the airline says that it will be able to serve many, not the few.
Demand is high for Aussies to travel domestically and as the cooler months are upon us, Melbournites can now take a low cost flight to many Queensland destinations for direct access to winter sun – or stay within Victoria for a winter wine escape to Mildura.
said Jordan.
Travellers are currently able to book flights up until the end of October with the schedule up until Christmas and Summer 2024 due to be added soon.
Featured image by Bonza
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