Bonza awaits CASA approval

Bonza take-off may be delayed, as the airline’s ongoing regulatory process continues, with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) yet to sign off on its operations.

Bonza is working towards wheels-up, potentially as soon as late September.

However, this could be longer than the airline initially expected, with Rex having waited four months to get the tick from CASA, despite already holding the Air Operations Certificate for regional flights. Bonza has been waiting since April.

Bonza hired former Virgin Australia GM of operations planning Michael Young to lead negotiations with CASA after the budget carrier’s former COO and co-founder Peter McNally left.

However, Bonza’s CCO Carly Povey said the airline has not been put off by the lengthy regulatory process.

“When the regulator is happy, we’re happy. It’s the single most important piece to running an airline,” Povey told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that the staff at Bonza have been focusing on internal processes such as partnerships, training and recruitment. The airline’s first fleet of cabin crew completed training on the Sunshine Coast last week.

Despite ongoing issues plaguing the travel industry, such as inflation, rising fuel costs, aviation skills shortages and COVID-related operational challenges, Povey said Bonza should be a hit with travellers.

“Confidence in domestic travel is back, there’s record high demand, and we think people will be stimulated by our low prices,” Povey said.

In preparation for the airline’s launch, Bonza recently named its first-ever plane; Shazza.

The low-cost carrier called out for suggestions earlier this month asking Aussies to ‘nick their nicknames’.

A shortlist of the hundreds of suggestions was voted on by the Bonza Local Legends – the airline’s ambassadors in the communities they’ll connect when Shazza and her counterparts take to the skies.

The Boeing 737-MAX, which touched down last month, is currently having her interiors Bonza-ified including obligatory splashes of purple.

In tandem, the airline is progressing with in-flight and cabin crew training schools, finalising the all-Aussie menu and stress testing the Fly Bonza App which will be the only place customers can book flights (with the exception of local travel agents). Preparations are also underway to welcome Bonza’s second aircraft imminently.

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Bonza Carly Povey casa Civil Aviation Safety Authority