Sunshine Coast-based low-cost airline Bonza has successfully navigated its first Easter peak weekend, bringing 5049 visitors to the region.
On average, the airline’s flights to the Coast during Easter were 94 per cent full, including maximum capacity for all flights on Thursday, April 6.
In addition, all flights from Melbourne Tullamarine and Melbourne Avalon were full every day from Thursday, April 6, to Tuesday, April 11.
Across all of Bonza’s existing routes, flights during Easter were 88 per cent full on average.
It comes as the airline this week launched another new route, this time to Port Macquarie.
“We welcome this new route off the back of a successful Easter weekend where our team of legends took many full flights across our existing network,” Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said.
“We met customers who had never travelled by air before and others who were holidaying somewhere completely new thanks to low-cost flights putting regional destinations on their radar.”
The new route is the 16th to launch as Bonza progresses towards having all 27 of its routes up and running by May 23.
The Port Macquarie service will run twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with flights starting from $49 per person one way.
The airline will also launch twice-weekly direct flights to Port Macquarie from its second base at Melbourne Tullamarine from May 4.
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Port Macquarie Airport is owned and operated by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.
Mayor Peta Pinson said the launch of a new low-cost airline carrier would add significant value to Port Macquarie’s business and tourism markets.
“This service, as well as the planned Port Macquarie to Melbourne route which will commence next month, will enhance and complement the range of airline routes and flights already available at Port Macquarie Airport, which include direct services to Sydney, Brisbane and Lord Howe Island,” she said.
“We look forward to welcoming Bonza and forging a strong and successful partnership with them into the future.”
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie said the flights would have a major impact on both regions.
“Previously you had to either drive the eight hours here from Port Macquarie, or you had to drive four hours to Sydney and catch a plane to Brisbane and then drive here – either way it wasn’t easy to travel between the two destinations,” he said.
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