BONZA will wet lease two Boeing 737s from Canadian LCC Flair Airlines in a reciprocal partnership “both airlines intend to leverage for many years to come,” the Sunshine Coast-based carrier’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Jordan said.
The strategic partnership will see Flair send the aircraft to its fellow 777 Partners-backed airline during the southern hemisphere summer, which is a slower season for the Canadian airline.
Bonza will in the future return the favour during its down season, in a partnership which will benefit the airline “at a time where aircraft demand is high and supply chain challenges reign,” Jordan alluded.
“The Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier reached out to support the commencement of operations at Bonza’s Gold Coast base pre-Christmas – a partnership that recognises the differing seasonal peaks between the two airlines,” he said.
“Two aircraft will initially be temporarily sourced from Flair in Canada and will be used whilst the airline commences its recruitment pipeline on the Gold Coast to support future operations and growth.”
Bonza recently announced a raft of schedule changes, including the removal of five routes from this month, as well as frequency reductions on other routes, due to a lack of “sustainable demand”.
The moves come at a time when the domination of the country’s “big two” airlines, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia, is as entrenched as ever, Jordan commented to travelBulletin.
