Bonza delayed

[red750]

A new low-cost airline has delayed its Australian takeoff as it awaits the delivery and approval of its first fleet of controversial planes.

 

Bonza planned to start flying in June, but pushed the date back to September as it awaits the arrival of three new Boeing 737 Max 8s.

 

 

The jets will be based on the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne, and will help service the company's 27-route catalogue.

 

Bonza chief operations officer Carly Povey confirmed the delay on the airline's website on Wednesday in the 'interests of transparency'.

 

'What we're sharing right now is if people have essential travel plans for July and August, we recommend they book (with other airlines),' she said.

'We're hopeful that in the coming weeks we'll have a further update about when we can go on sale, and our first flights.'

 

The company, which is backed by US investment firm 777 Partners, hoped to recruit its flight staff in time for their entry into the Australian market, which it expects to be tied up before July.

 

Fares are expected to start from $50, with normal food and gift services to be available onboard flights. 

The Civil Aviation safety Authority is working through the process of approving Bonza's certificate application, which includes the controversial 737 Max 8s.

 

The planes were suspended from markets worldwide after two fatal crashes where the aircraft's flight-control system automatically pushed down the noses of the jets.

 

There were two fatal crashes in six months between October 2018 and March 2019 that resulted in 346 deaths.

They have since been re-approved, with Virgin Australia among the first companies to order the jets. 

 

[red750]

Budget airline Bonza opened the naming rights to their first plane to the Australian public and has chosen the most Aussie name ever.

 

[onetrack]

I can't wait to get a ride in Dazza, Wozza, Kazza, Bazza, and Azza!

[kgwilson]

I imagine only pilots with real strayan first names and a good command of high speed aussie slang will be considered which is why they "hope to recruit staff in time for their entry into the Australian market".

[Garfly]

9 hours ago, onetrack said:

I can't wait to get a ride in Dazza, Wozza, Kazza, Bazza, and Azza!

If it's Boeing, I'm not going!  (until they get a Gazza).

[Carbon Canary]

The captain's name flying Shazza has gotta be Bruce.

[Carbon Canary]

Bonza finally gets the she'll be right mate, no worries from CASA

 

Bewdy !

[Methusala]

On 30/08/2022 at 9:29 AM, Garfly said:

If it's Boeing, I'm not going! 

No max 8 for me, I'd rather walk!

[kgwilson]

It is amazing that they still have the pulleys and cables all the way from the vertical stabiliser & rudder to the cockpit and there are 2 drums which can be turned by hand. The problem is they are very stiff & have to be turned multiple revolutions to move the stabiliser trim even a little bit. There is no time at all to move them up if there has been runaway trim to full down

[Garfly]

19 minutes ago, Methusala said:

No max 8 for me, I'd rather walk!

 

Okay ... but  "If it's Boeing, I'm not going!"  is just a play on the cap-cliché :

 

(unfortunately, way out of date, nowadays  ;- )

 

 

[facthunter]

The "Management' changed direction to compete with Airbus and "Blew it". Their reputation in tatters trying to cut corners, hide things and cut training costs.  Nev

[onetrack]

Bonza have an arrangement to lease 8 new 737 Max 8 aircraft. They seat 186 pax. The airline industry in Australia is littered with the headstones of new, budget, start-up airlines, that all died quite rapidly.

 

It will be interesting to see if Bonza can succeed, where many others have failed. The backers of Bonza had better have deep pockets, and those Max 8's are going to have to convince a lot of wary people they're safe to fly in.

 

One thing's for sure - Virgin and Qantas will be spending a lot of time figuring out how to pull the rug from under the new player on the block.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-12/new-airline-bonza-approved-by-casa-regional-australia-flights/101849982

 

https://simpleflying.com/bonza-2nd-boeing-737-max-registration/

[kgwilson]

I assume all the aircraft are leased so if the S hits the F they will just be repossessed.

[facthunter]

Get in early when Boeing are desperate and get a beaut price. That's an accountant's decision.. Have I got a deal for you?. Qantas's Ceo is suggesting single pilot, then it will be NO pilot because THE pilot might make a mistake or get tired.  Nev

[red750]

See also a new Asian international cheapie, VietAir to start soon.

 

[Thruster88]

Runaway trim is a MEMORY item. Not a 737 pilot but I know the location and function of the 2, yes two, trim cut out switches that have been fitted every model of 737. 

 

We have nothing to fear flying in a jet in Australia. 

[Flightrite]

There would have been plenty of sculldugery going on behind the scenes with a ‘go slow’ arrangement in place for Bonza to get their HC AOC! Remember CASA are run by people (term used closely!) who have opinions, can be influenced and have friends in high places in other Airlines, not all cops are squeaky clean so to speak!

Personally  I hope they do well! Most of the general public wouldn’t know a Boeing from a Cessna, so the Max will just ply the friendly skies like the rest of the bogan carriers! With the high cost of tickets these days that the grubby Airlines are revelling in any newbie only has to weather a year or so of losing $$$by way of cheap fares and they’ll have customers lining up around the corner to get a cheap ticket forever!……remember Aussies love a bargain regardless of whether they need it or not😂

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Flightrite

[red750]

The problem is that in Vic, they will operate from Avalon. Nothing wrong with Avalon, except if you live at Dandenong for example, it would be like going from Liverpool to Newcastle, or Caboolture to Gold Coaast. Almost need a plane to get to the airport.

[onetrack]

China is the first country to place the 737 MAX 8 back into commercial service. It seems to be performing satisfactorily. I have no idea what was involved in the steps Boeing took to modify the MCAS - they are calling it "software enhancements" - but there is now a mandatory training requirement for pilots of the 737 MAX 8, thus finally making it obvious, that the 737 MAX 8 is "not just another 737".

 

Hopefully, the mandatory training requirement ensures that all 737 MAX 8 pilots are now fully conversant with the intricacies of the vastly altered 737 MAX 8 design.

 

If Boeing hadn't been so dollar-driven, and ensured safety was the priority in the redesign, then a sizeable number of innocent trusting pax would still be alive today, and Boeing would not be around $20B poorer - and still losing out badly to Airbus.

 

There must still be around about 400 new 737 MAX 8's in storage, I don't know how many have actually been placed with airlines - but many airlines are obviously still wary of placing them in their fleets, such is the nasty lingering smell around the 737 MAX 8.

 

https://www.boeing.com/commercial/737max/737-max-software-updates.page

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-13/boeing-737-first-chinese-flight-since-crashes/101855086

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/17/business/boeing-737-max-grounding-cost/index.html

 

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by onetrack

[Methusala]

Nev has stated in this forum that the 737 re-design is basically unsafe and that re- training and software modifications only temper the outstanding design faults. Commercial airliners must be intrinsically airworthy independent of pilot's intervention.

[Old Koreelah]

A family member is a frequent flyer and predicts a rosy future for this upstart airline; too many people have had a bellyful of Qantas.

 

I’d like regional travellers to have a chance of affordable air fares.

[onetrack]

I'd like to see Bonza fly Perth-Gold Coast direct. At present, we're stuck with red-eye flights on Jetstar only, or multiple hops with Virgin or Qantas.

 

Either that, or fly V or Q Perth-Brisbane, and then spend another heap of time and money to get down to the Gold Coast.

 

And there's nothing cheap about V or Q Perth-Brisbane flights now, either - they have gone up over 50% in just over 12 mths.

 

Bonza will either fail or succeed depending on how they treat their employees. I have no idea about the Bonza CEO's track record as to how he treats employees.

 

However, Carly Povey, a former executive at Jetstar, will act as Bonza’s chief commercial officer. That's not a great start.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/29284-bonza-appoints-ceo-fills-leadership-roles

 

Here's a lengthy webinar interview with Tim Jordan, dated 7th March 2022. The interview action starts at 2 min 30 sec.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by onetrack

[kgwilson]

The Bonza CEO says that using the 737 Max will keep prices low. Given there are plenty of new Max 8s sitting around unsold maybe Bonza got them for a bargain basement price.

 

Their first 3 aircraft have been named Shazza, Bazza & Sheila.

Edited January 16, 2023 by kgwilson

[facthunter]

Generally the market is a good gauge of a products worth.. IF they succeed, they will run out of stupid names.. Budjet airlines  a race to the bottom on fares. When it turns out lacking the Gummint should have 'done something." I wish them all the best as the others don't deserve any sympathy. Flying with Airlines these days is not a very pleasant experience in many ways.   Nev

[Flightrite]

I hate flying as self loading freight, the worst experience, from the rip off prices to the late/cancelation of flights, it’s an ugly industry the Airline business and  I’m glad I’m out of now! Bonza should do well initially (I hope they do) like anything new, the grubs at the top end will do whatever they can to keep them from getting ahead!