Australia's new regional airline operator Bonza scraps five routes just five months after the launch.
Bonza, the budget airline that began operations only in January this year, has declared a major reshuffling of its flight routes, citing a need to respond to "sustainable demand." The announcement comes just two months after the company dismissed rumors of plans to cut underperforming routes.
The Sunshine Coast-based airline is retracting its service from Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Tamworth, and discontinuing flights from Toowoomba to the Whitsundays as well as Cairns to Mackay. The decision, however regrettable, was dictated by demand patterns, stressed Chief Operating Officer Carly Povey.
Povey expressed her appreciation to affected communities for their support and regretted the inconvenience caused to customers. Meanwhile, she confirmed an increase in flights to areas showing stronger demand, such as Melbourne and Albury.
"Where demand is evident, we are committed to fulfilling our promise to these communities," Povey stated, asserting the company's dedication to providing reliable service and winning the trust of Australian travelers.
The carrier is set to terminate the mentioned routes on August 1. Customers impacted by this decision will receive notification via SMS and will be offered a choice of a full refund or an alternative flight.
Bonza maintains 22 other routes, for which flights are currently available for purchase only until October. However, Povey assured customers that tickets for the festive Christmas and Easter periods would be released for sale in a few weeks.
The announcement follows hot on the heels of Australia's largest regional carrier Rex Airlines projecting a $35 million loss for the financial year. Tony Webber, former Qantas chief economist and aviation analyst, expressed no surprise at Bonza's decision. He described the business model of providing air travel between regional towns as inherently challenging, requiring extremely high demand, particularly in a leisure-focused market, to make it viable.
