{"id":7561,"date":"2023-08-07T09:45:05","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T09:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=7561"},"modified":"2023-08-07T09:45:05","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T09:45:05","slug":"australias-bonza-canadas-flair-in-reciprocal-acmi-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=7561","title":{"rendered":"Australia’s Bonza, Canada’s Flair in reciprocal ACMI deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aviation news international – Bonza<\/a>\u00a0(AB,\u00a0Sunshine Coast<\/a>) will wet-lease two\u00a0B737-8<\/a>s from fellow\u00a0777 Partners<\/a>-backed carrier\u00a0Flair Airlines<\/a>\u00a0(F8,\u00a0Kelowna<\/a>) to kickstart flights from its\u00a0Gold Coast Coolangatta<\/a>\u00a0base. The “strategic partnership” will see the Canadian operator send aircraft to Australia during the Northern Hemisphere’s slower winter season, while in the future, the Australian start-up will return the favour during its down season.<\/p>\n

“At a time where aircraft demand is high and supply chain challenges reign, Bonza is benefiting from a strategic partnership with Flair Airlines in Canada,” said Bonza CEO Tim Jordan. “The Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier reached out to support the commencement of operations at Bonza\u2019s Gold Coast base pre Christmas – a partnership that recognises the differing seasonal peaks between the two airlines. This is a reciprocal partnership that both airlines intend to leverage for many years to come.”<\/p>\n

Bonza presently flies four B737-8s, all sourced from owner 777 Partners. However, the US investment fund has reneged on promises to deliver additional aircraft, determining that they have higher priorities elsewhere. Consequently, Bonza’s four aircraft have struggled to ply a network of 25 routes servicing 17 airports. A planned fifth aircraft, designed to act as a spare and provide some redundancy, was diverted to Flair Airlines after that carrier had four planes\u00a0repossessed<\/a>\u00a0earlier this year. 777 Partners is also the largest singular Flair shareholder with a 25% stake. Bonza had initially intended to secure eight B737-8s from 777 Partners in its first 12 months of operations.<\/p>\n

Reliability issues forced Bonze to recently readjust its existing schedules, including trimming services on some routes and axing services altogether on others. However, the arrival of the two Flair aircraft will see Bonza open 11 new routes from\u00a0Gold Coast Coolangatta Airport<\/a>, providing around 70 roundtrips each week, specifically;<\/p>\n