Australian start-up airline Bonza has entered voluntary administration and suspended all flights, with “discussions currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the business”.
The low-cost carrier launched services in January 2023, offering regional domestic flights operated by four Boeing Max 8 aircraft.
But a statement on flybonza.com dated 30 April, 2024, said that “The Company’s fleet is currently grounded pending discussions with relevant parties and key stakeholders”.
“The grounding of the fleet is currently up to and including Thursday 2 May 2024‚ and customers with bookings during this period are advised not to travel to the airport,” it continued.
“The discussions regarding ongoing trading are occurring over the forthcoming days and the Administrators will be in a position to update all stakeholders as the matter progresses.”
The Guardian reports that the repossession of the carrier’s aircraft “caught its CEO by surprise”, with passengers left stranded at several airports.
Qantas said that of Bonza’s 36 routes, six overlapped with either Qantas or its subsidiary Jetstar, and the Australian flag carrier confirmed that “For any customers with a cancelled Bonza flight on a route we operate, to make sure you’re not further out of pocket, you can fly with us at no cost where we have seats available”.
Bonza is backed by American private investment firm 777 Partners, which also owns Canadian low-cost carrier Flair Airlines. Four of Flair’s aircraft were seized last year over alleged non payment of leases.
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