Bonza is on sale with its newest route from the Sunshine Coast to Darwin with flights starting from $149 per person (one way).
The new route starts on 29 November and will run twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Speaking from the Crocodile Hunter Lodge by Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast, Bonza’s Chief Commercial Officer Carly Povey said by launching the new service, Bonza says it’s another step closer to delivering on its commitment to boost domestic tourism with a focus on leisure destinations.
“We are thrilled to announce a brand new route for Sunny Coast locals. From 29 November, travellers will be able to fly direct to Darwin for a holiday filled with nature, wildlife, waterfalls and epic sunsets. The new route also opens up an exciting new destination for tourists who will be drawn to the region’s attractions like Australia Zoo which we know is a firm favourite of our customers,” Ms Povey said.
The new route comes as Bonza celebrates nine months of operations out of Sunshine Coast Airport having brought 120,000 additional visitors to the region.
During the last school holidays, Bonza celebrated a busy period with the most popular winter holiday destinations from the Sunny Coast being Albury, Cairns, Avalon, Melbourne and Townsville. Also in July, Sunshine Coast Airport celebrated record passenger numbers with more than 178,000 passengers passing through the terminal. This incredible figure is the highest monthly total in the Airport’s history and follows a record breaking 1.62 million passengers in FY22/23.
Sunshine Coast Airport Interim CEO Gary Allen said the new service would be a hit with visitors who were keen to experience the natural wonders of both destinations, linking the pristine beaches of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, with some of Australia’s most incredible national parks.
“Already this year we’ve seen our partnership with Bonza connect Sunshine Coast Airport to new destinations like never before, and I’m delighted that Darwin will be our newest direct service,” Mr Allen said.
“This new connection will provide opportunities for people to experience Darwin’s amazing art, culture, wildlife, and experiences, while also giving locals access to both Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks, both home to amazing natural wonders.
“Travellers can now also experience the best the Sunshine Coast and Noosa have to offer, including our pristine beaches, lush hinterland, local craft breweries, culinary delights, and amazing experiences – none more iconic than the world-famous Australia Zoo.”
Allen’s comments were echoed by wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin who said record numbers through Sunshine Coast Airport, combined with new Bonza connections, would help provide opportunities for visitors to learn about Australia Zoo’s important wildlife initiatives and conservation projects.
“By welcoming more people to the Sunshine Coast, we hope to provide an exciting experience for visitors at Australia Zoo, and educate everyone about our efforts in wildlife conservation through our global charity, Wildlife Warriors,” Robert said.
“Visitors can experience Australia Zoo’s luxury accommodation, The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, in rustic family-friendly cabins while being surrounded by serene wilderness and wildlife, reconnecting with the stunning natural world,” he said.
Two months ago, Bonza announced changes to its network via an open letter to customers that outlined it was still working to earn the trust of travellers. Povey says the network optimisation from 1 August has been successful in improving reliability and the airline’s honesty was met positively by the communities Bonza seeks to serve. She also reinforced her thanks to Sunshine Coast Airport “who backed Bonza all the way as we sought to reflect on learnings and deliver a step change in reliability.”
“So far this month, 82 per cent of all Bonza flights have been arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time and no flights have been cancelled. The changes we made have allowed us to improve our on-time-performance and reduce the number of cancellations. As a new airline and customer focussed business, it’s on us to listen and learn. We are very grateful for the support from the Sunshine Coast community in particular who continue to embrace us as their own airline,” Povey said.
Travellers are encouraged to download the Fly Bonza app which is the only place to book direct.
