Mystery shopper report - Bonza airlines.

[red750]

What it's like to fly Bonza.

[planedriver]

Had an email from a friend who flew with them from Sunshine Coast to Avalon and she said it was grate!. What I think she mean't was great! especially the $79 fare.(typo's happen) 

[onetrack]

I was hoping that Bonza might even someday recognise that there's other parts of Australia that exist, outside the Eastern States. But here in the West, we're used to being regularly ignored like we're a foreign country.

All the news media articles are centred around the Eastern States, and even the ABC was going to stop producing a local ABC news presentation - until there was a major uproar.

 

What I'd really like to see is Bonza flying from W.A. to the Gold Coast or even other smaller airports in QLD. They could operate Busselton to the Gold Coast, and I reckon they'd be overwhelmed with passenger numbers.

So many people here are thoroughly sick of Jetstar and Qantas and even Virgin is not what it used to be. And no-one, apart from the horrible redeye Jetstar flights, operate from Perth to the Gold Coast. 

The number of people who state categorically, that they will NEVER fly Jetstar again is amazing. Cancelled flights (generally with last-second notice), poor to non-existent compensation, badly behaved pax, crappy seating, the list goes on and on.

 

If we want to go to the Gold Coast, we have to get ripped off by flying into Brisbane (at prices that are now 50% higher than before COVID), and then drive or catch the train to the GC.

It's 2 hrs on the train from Brisbane to the GC, plus another $65 pp, so it makes for a real drag getting there. Plus flight entertainment is a thing of the past, and even business class is just a glorified economy class today.

[facthunter]

It's too far direct for a lot of planes to do that, especially the return where alternates need a fair bit of fuel.   Nev 

[Old Koreelah]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

It's too far direct for a lot of planes to do that, especially the return where alternates need a fair bit of fuel.   Nev 

- unless they hope into a Jet Stream. I once read about a TAA jet arriving in Sydney long before it was expected; it’s trans-continental flight was supposedly at a record speed never beaten.

[Marty_d]

If it was a 727, I believe their cruise speed was in the order of 40 knots higher than 737's to start with.

 

[facthunter]

That's not correct. There's not much difference between the Two. I've had a Groundspeed of 700 knots in a B727. the Planned TAS  in still air is 480 Kts but you'll never see that figure on the Airspeed indicator.  With the Jet stream there's a risk of turbulence at the boundaries. Nev

[Marty_d]

28 minutes ago, facthunter said:

That's not correct. There's not much difference between the Two. I've had a Groundspeed of 700 knots in a B727. the Planned TAS  in still air is 480 Kts but you'll never see that figure on the Airspeed indicator.  With the Jet stream there's a risk of turbulence at the boundaries. Nev

Google's most popular answer must be wrong then.

 

Boeing 737-800/Cruise speed

842 km/h

 

Boeing 727/Cruise speed

917 km/h

[facthunter]

480 is 888 kms/hr for the B 727-200 the biggest and heaviest one of that type bar the freighter version. .The cruise speeds are probably dropped a bit these days to save fuel  where possible. The difference is  easily  accounted for by the more emphasis on fuel economy more favourable to the 737 . I've never flown a B 737 by choice but I do Know for sure what the Planning  cruise airspeed was on the B727 as  Flying it was about 75% of my total flight time all up. It would have a higher wing loading  so slowing it up would have problems  with stall margins in 'coffin Corner" whereas the B 737 may be able to accept a speed reduction more safely. the aerodynamics (M Crit) wouldn't be that much different. That's where you get high speed buffet and the whole thing shakes. I had it once with 315 showing on the Air speed  indicator.   These things operate very close to stall margins sometimes.  Nev

[kgwilson]

On 04/04/2023 at 5:11 PM, red750 said:

What it's like to fly Bonza.

The reveiwer obviously hasn't flown with many budget airlines before. Most are now using an app as well as in flight WiFi for most stuff. Before this though others also had local produce, wine from a 750ml bottle etc and waiter type service as well. Usually only full service airlines have the meal trolley and in economy this can be a slow process if you are in the middle.

[facthunter]

$79 for that fare wouldn't be profitable.  Nev

[planedriver]

I agree Nev.

Maybe good to attract a few initial customers, but certainly not a sustainable fare if you want to stay in business.

[facthunter]

Funny. We'll pay heaps to go to  Rock Concert  or for a good pair of shoes, but when you're flying  somewhere and safety is at stake (Your Life) all that people worry about is which fare is the cheapest.. Nev

[red750]

I see where there is a private jet for people to fly to Sydney for the Taylor Swift concert, at $1,000 per ticket!

[onetrack]

Probably worth it when you consider the delays, the processing hassles, the poor seating, being treated like a commodity - and the cost, of commercial flights today.

 

Interesting article below about how chartering is an increasing business. A company called Monarc Global has designed and produced software that enables anyone with an aircraft to get to a commercial-level transaction basis with potential clients, with ease and simplicity.

 

https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/frustrated-business-travellers-get-a-better-deal-on-private-jets-20221125-p5c19l

[onetrack]

On 04/08/2023 at 10:58 AM, facthunter said:

It's too far direct for a lot of planes to do that, especially the return where alternates need a fair bit of fuel.   Nev 

Nev, Bonza are running 787 Dreamliners. Busselton to the Gold Coast would be a doddle for them - unless they bought short range Dreamliners with small tanks. 737's are the current workhorse of the Bris-Per run, I'm sure anyone who offered a Dreamliner for long-distance flights would be rushed - as compared to flying on the junky, creaky, ancient 737's, we get to fly on now.

And all the alternates available to the 737's would be easily reached by the Dreamliners. There are a rapidly increasing number of new minesite airstrips that are capable of taking big jets.

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by onetrack

[facthunter]

It's a lot about Load factors. Flying with empty seats can COST money, not make it. The money maker in Australia is  SY-ML-SY.  Nev

[onetrack]

I have yet to see a flight since COVID, from Perth to Brisbane or return, that has empty seats. The airlines are rolling in money with current pricing and load factors - and the fact that they're still using ancient aircraft. They're like taxi operators still running 900,000km Falcon wagons.

Bonza have it all over the others with brand new Dreamliners, I'd fly Bonza in a heartbeat if they rolled up here on the left coast. There's no joy in flying with Qantas or Virgin any more. Used to fly Virgin business class until we started getting treated just like another passenger. The only advantage was bigger seats, and you paid accordingly, but failed to get the business class treatment. In flight entertainment disappeared, the food and drinks got cheap - so you might as well travel on the cheapest fare with the newest aircraft. Of course, Jetscar don't even come into the equation unless you like riding in the back of a cattle truck and being treated like a mushroom. Got to be the most hated airline around.

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by onetrack

[facthunter]

I wish them all the best, but it's a tough game with high cashflows and a tight profit margin at the best of times. Full aircraft usually means over bookings or flight cancellations. Longer legs mean your fuel loads are higher on average. Tankering fuel costs money unless the price difference is large enough to offset it. Nev

[yampy]

On 7/8/2023 at 11:23 AM, onetrack said:

Nev, Bonza are running 787 Dreamliners. Busselton to the Gold Coast would be a doddle for them - unless they bought short range Dreamliners with small tanks. 737's are the current workhorse of the Bris-Per run, I'm sure anyone who offered a Dreamliner for long-distance flights would be rushed - as compared to flying on the junky, creaky, ancient 737's, we get to fly on now.

And all the alternates available to the 737's would be easily reached by the Dreamliners. There are a rapidly increasing number of new minesite airstrips that are capable of taking big jets.

 

Bonza are definitely not flying Dreamliners . They are flying B737MAX aircraft . The B737MAX would easily have the range to fly Busselton - Gold Coast with reserves , and they don’t fall into the “ junky, creaky, ancient 737’s” you refer to .

[kgwilson]

I reckon they got the 737 Max 8s at a good price. After the 2 crashes, lengthy groundings and the findings of the investigation with Boeings reputation trashed they had heaps of these unsold after numerous airline cancellations.

[turboplanner]

Interesting comment.

I've flown to Japan with them, Melbourne to Cairns, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and Adelaide - all uneventful trips on time.

However, I watched a few episodes on the cheap fare European specialists, so know there's no fat in the fare for a missed flight/free next available flight, aircraft down for maintenance so trip cancelled, upmarket food or service, upgrades, and so on. So I know what service I'm paying for; there is always Qantas for more luxury at a lot more money.

 

[onetrack]

3 hours ago, yampy said:

Bonza are definitely not flying Dreamliners . They are flying B737MAX aircraft . The B737MAX would easily have the range to fly Busselton - Gold Coast with reserves , and they don’t fall into the “ junky, creaky, ancient 737’s” you refer to .

Sorry, my error, I somehow got the idea they were using 787's - I failed to check before posting. Yes, I knew Bonza are using brand new Boeings - the "junky, creaky, ancient 737's" I referred to, are the aircraft belonging to Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar. Some of those aircraft are well past pension age.