Sneak peek at Avalon’s coming discount airline

LOW-COST airline Bonza has touched down at Avalon Airport for a test flight, but it is unclear when it will be carrying its first passengers at the Geelong region airport.

The purple-branded plane made its first journey to Avalon last week from the carrier’s base at Sunshine Coast ahead of imminent weekly flights between the destinations.

But the airline is yet to commit to a take-off date across Australia as it continues with approval processes.

Bonza had officially launched early this year, when it was planning to be in the air by the end of April.

Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey said the company hoped to provide clarity for its start date soon.

“Last Friday (December 9), our team of legends had the pleasure of flying into Avalon Airport from our home base at Sunshine Coast Airport.

“The flight is part of our internal preparation process as we prepare for wheels up, subject to regulatory approval. We thank Avalon Airport for their support.”

“We will continue to update Aussie travellers, as we previously have, as soon as we have more updates on all things Bonza.”

Bonza has promised to fly three times a week between Avalon and Sunshine Coast when it is up and running.

Avalon Airport chief executive officer Tony Brun was among the welcoming party last week and said he was looking forward to establishing the travel link with the popular Queensland holiday spot.

“The arrival of Bonza at Avalon means we’ll be able to offer more flights and provide greater connectivity in and out of Avalon Airport.

“We can’t wait to make flying even easier for our customers and we are excited to see Bonza aircrafts take off on a regular basis.”