Bonza and Sunshine Coast Airport on Monday announced a partnership that will see Australian independent low-cost carrier call the Sunshine Coast ‘Bonza’s Backyard’.
Sunshine Coast Airport will be home to Bonza’s head office and airport base with its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Locals and the tourism industry alike, can look forward to Bonza operating an initial 37 flights per week on 12 new routes from Sunshine Coast Airport that will directly connect the region with destinations in Queensland, Victoria and NSW. Eighty three percent of routes are new for Australian travellers and 92 per cent not currently served by a low-cost carrier
“Amongst the reasons we are so excited to partner with Sunshine Coast Airport is our shared values and commitment to customers, community and sustainability,” Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said.
“The airport has been incredibly welcoming to Bonza. Their region has boomed in recent years and the people who call it home deserve more choice when it comes to holidays and reconnecting with friends and family. From Albury to the Whitsundays, Sunshine Coast locals will now be able to fly instead of impossibly long road trips as well fly direct without a stopover in a major city.
“We’re also equally excited about opening up Sunshine Coast to leisure travellers looking to visit the recently announced number one most loved destination according to the Tourism Sentiment Index.”
Speaking on the announcement, Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie said: “As Bonza sets up their backyard here on the Sunshine Coast, it will open up a range of opportunities for employment, business development, tourism growth and in re-connecting with family, friends and colleagues.
“Through our latest modelling and forecasting, and based on Bonza’s current schedule, we estimate that Bonza’s presence here on the Sunshine Coast will generate around $86million in visitor expenditure in the region in the first 12 months of flights being operational and bring an additional 367,000 seats directly into the Sunshine Coast.
“With three aircraft based here on the Sunshine Coast and the influx of travellers from new destinations, a range of direct and indirect employment opportunities will be created to support tourism and business growth.
“Bonza’s arrival on the Sunshine Coast is also in line with the airport’s $500 million expansion plans to further strengthen its role as a regional facilitator of economic growth and diversity.
“We have big plans for our airport and over the coming years we will double the size of our terminal, the Aerospace precinct will expand from 9 to 30 hectares and our Southern Gateway commercial precinct will start to take shape.
“By FY27, the developed Sunshine Coast Airport will facilitate increased visitation to tourism businesses across the state – supporting 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and $255 million in GSP.
“When our development is completed, more than 1,600 jobs will be created at the airport.
“With Bonza’s route map, we will essentially see our destinations almost triple overnight. We’re also very excited to see direct flights to popular destinations in North Queensland, NSW and Victoria – a first for the Sunshine Coast Airport.
“Sunshine Coast Airport’s increased domestic connectivity will spearhead the region’s recovery with 16 destinations connected to the Sunshine Coast when Bonza takes flight, up from three pre-COVID, boosting us from 10th to the 2nd most connected airport in Queensland.”
Mr Jordan said there would be job opportunities on the Sunshine Coast with a large proportion of roles to be based virtually all over the country.
“Bonza’s Backyard at Sunshine Coast Airport provides us with an ideal base for our virtual workforce to come together,” he said.
He said Bonza’s decision to go paperless with the launch of its own app was part of a broader focus on customer experience and sustainability: “We encourage everyone to download the new app (Fly Bonza app from the Apple App Store) to be the first in the know as to when flights will be going on sale, fare sales, destination news and travel tips. We’re also giving people the chance to win flights via the app”.
Once all functions are added to the app in the coming weeks, it will be where Aussies can plan, book and manage their bookings. It’ll also be where travellers can check in and access their boarding passes – eliminating the need for printing unnecessarily and reducing the need to check-in at the airport. Once onboard, the retail offering, travel information and much more will be available exclusively through the app.
Sunshine Coast Bonza routes:
○ Albury – 2 flights per week
○ Avalon – 3 flights per week
○ Cairns – 5 flights per week
○ Coffs Harbour – 2 flights per week
○ Mackay – 3 flights per week
○ Melbourne – 4 flights per week
○ Mildura – 2 flights per week
○ Newcastle – 4 flights per week
○ Port Macquarie – 2 flights per week
○ Rockhampton – 3 flights per week
○ Townsville – 4 flights per week
○ Whitsunday Coast – 3 flights per week
