Thursday 28th March marks one year since Bonza became a regular fixture at Newcastle Airport.
The discount airline made its debut at the Williamtown hub with its first flight to the Sunshine Coast, carrying a select group of passengers.
Two days later it celebrated its maiden flight to the Whitsundays from Newcastle, welcoming media and competition winners keen to try out the new 737 aircraft.
Launching with promises of low-cost airfares in and out of the region, Bonza says it has since connected more than 65,000 customers to/from Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast and Whitsunday Coast.
After seemingly overestimating its potential passenger loads, Bonza dumped one of its mid-week flights between Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast in July 2023.
But while some may have smelt failure in the wings, it turns out a crisis was averted.
In February, aviation records showed Bonza was Australia’s best airline for on-time arrivals and departures, with an 81.7% accuracy.
In fact, it was top in on-time arrivals for six out of the seven months since August 2023.
The purple brand was also a key contributor to Newcastle Airport reaching its highest February intake ever.
“Newcastle is the gateway to the Hunter Valley wine region so today (Thursday 28 March) we’re raising a glass and saying ‘cheers’ to the incredible partnership between Bonza and Newcastle Airport,” said Tim Jordan, Bonza CEO.
“Over 65,000 travellers have passed through Newcastle Airport because of Bonza’s low-cost fares and high quality service so we’re humbled by the support Newcastle locals have shown us.”
Newcastle Airport CEO, Dr Peter Cook said he commends Bonza on the success it has achieved in the region, reflecting on the shared commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction of both the airport and the airline.
“We know our region loves to travel and the response from our community has been overwhelmingly positive over the past year.
“We look forward to welcoming more Bonza routes to the Hunter region in the future as we grow the airport the region deserves,” said Dr Peter Cook.
For more on this topic:
- Bonza review: is it all thumbs up?
- Newcastle Airport plans soaring
- Business confidence divided across the Hunter
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
