Australia’s newest low-cost carrier has introduced an all-Aussie menu and a break from traditional aisle service.
The Sunshine Coast-based airline released a food and drinks menu that features more than 40 products, including many aviation firsts like non-alcoholic beer, banana bread waffles and a snag in a bag, all produced by Australian small to medium businesses.
In a nod to Aussies’ growing obsession with craft beer, the menu was unveiled at Your Mates Brewing Co. at Warana.
Examples of the onboard drinks menu includes Ballistic Beer Co, which will donate to helping injured turtles in the Whitsundays and Spinifex Brewing Company, which will donate a percentage of their profits to veterans mental health.
Bonza’s cabin crew will also serve the non-alcoholic Heaps Normal Quiet XPA and cans of cold drip coffee by Sunshine Coast-based business Groundskeeper Willie.
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Designed with families in mind, the food menu features healthy fava beans by local Happy Snack Company and, for a feel-good treat, Mildura Chocolate Company will supply giant chocolate freckles, with 100 per cent of their profits going towards training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities or disadvantages.
Affordable snacks will also include Aussie Biscuits, a social enterprise which employs people with disabilities in regional NSW.
In another break with tradition, Bonza will ditch onboard catering trolleys.
Instead, its cabin crew legends will be assigned seat rows to look after during each flight.
Customers will order and pay for as many or little items as they like on the Fly Bonza app and have them delivered to their seats.
They will be welcome to make multiple orders during a flight, meaning the people in the last row no longer have to wait for everyone else to be served and risk missing out on a meal preference.
Chief Commercial Officer at Bonza, Carly Povey, said it was important to have Australian products on board.
“Our all Aussie menu is something we are very proud of,” she said.
“Going all Aussie means we are supporting local businesses and their suppliers,” she said.
“It also means we are helping SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) get exposure to new markets as the entire menu will be offered on all of our 27 routes.”
“Our team of legends have established a positive and productive relationship with the producers on our menu – many of which are creating bespoke packaging solutions that will help our efforts to reduce waste and weight onboard, which in turn helps reduce fuel consumption and keep flight prices low.
“Examples of this include Sirromet Wines, which is bottling red, white, sparkling and rose into recycled plastic bottles that are lightweight and fully recyclable.
“Sunshine & Sons are producing gin, vodka and rum in small pouches, which are to be recycled through the RedCycle program.”
Other menu highlights include Saxbys range of soft drinks – a 158-year-old family business. Sunshine & Sons and Ned Australian Whisky  spirits can be mixed with tonic from Bickford & Sons or travellers can grab a Preshafruit or bottled Nu-Pure water from Queensland.
The Handmade Food Co, Silver Tongue Foods and Mama Kaz are among the Aussie food companies that will supply sandwiches, crackers and muffins to Bonza customers.
Povey said there was an abundance of vegan and vegetarian options such as vegan sandwiches, brownies and chips.
Vegan and keto-friendly AmazeBalls Popped Cheese from Ashgrove Cheese will be onboard, while Chappy’s Snacks is providing vegan-friendly, kettle-cooked potato chips.
The Fly Bonza app is where customers will book, manage their bookings, check-in and place in-flight food and drinks orders when onboard.
Povey said the app-first strategy would be a significant change for Aussie customers onboard.
The airline said tickets for their first flights will be on sale “soon”.
“We will be on sale shortly, keep checking Bonza Airline or our app for the latest details.
“We plan to be on sale very soon…. we will be keeping you posted on updates, including when flights will be on sale, when our first flights will take off and where to.”
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