Bonkers over Bonza

Struggling airline Bonza has left holiday plans of a group of mostly Canadians in disarray after axing flights from the Gold Coast to Melbourne and the Whitsundays.

Six friends including four Bond University law students had been looking forward to visiting the Victorian capital.

But eight days from their flight, it was cancelled, leaving their plans in ruins and likely hundreds of dollars each out of pocket.

“We (have been) trying to contact Bonza, because they don’t have a phone number and don’t have an email,” said Mary-Ellen Coutsoumbes, the group’s sole Australian.

“They’ve got a chat function on their app, and I’ve contacted them from yesterday, and again today for several hours and they don’t respond.”

Messages from Bonza did not offer a refund or alternative

flights, referring only to a credit towards future bookings.

That is of no use for one of the six who is only in Australia for four weeks. As part of her trip she and her boyfriend had planned to visit the Whitsundays but their Bonza flights there were also cancelled.

“The two of them were to head there just after we returned from Melbourne,” Ms Coutsoumbes said. “He wanted to show her around Australia, because she’d never been. And those flights were cancelled.

“They had an

Airbnb

booked in the Whitsundays. The only way they could still use the Airbnb was to get business class flights (they were the only seats still available) which would have been a considerable amount higher than they originally planned with their economy flights with Bonza.”

Another group member Cameron Chisholm said the law student pals were considering taking action against Bonza under consumer law.

“I’ve never had this happen with any other airline,” Mr Chisholm said. “Now we’re scrambling to find new flights, with a week to go until we’re supposed to fly down there.

“We’re considering a course of action through Australian consumer law. They entered a contract and failed to provide a service to us and just taken our money.”

Bonza has struggled since launching last year and recently reduced flight frequency from the Gold Coast from May 1, leading to cancellations for many.

Flights to Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport have gone from four a week to one and Townsville from five per week to three. Frequency has also been reduced on flights to Launceston, Mackay, Avalon, the Whitsundays, Mildura and Mount Isa.

A Bonza spokesman acknowledged customers had faced long wait times to contact them. It said if Bonza credit was not suitable, a full refund would be issued.

“As a result of operational requirements we’ve regrettably had to cancel some flights and, where possible, move customers on to alternative flights,” the spokesman said. “Whilst we have endeavoured to offer recovery flights, we recognise this may not be viable for all customers and we apologise to those affected.

“Customers impacted will either be moved to an alternative suitable flight or automatically receive the total value of their cancelled flight and associated booking charges credited to use for any future Bonza flight of their choice. Should this not be suitable a full refund will be issued.

“We recognise during peak times we could do better with our chat wait times and this is something we are addressing.

“There are thousands of satisfied Bonza customers getting to their destinations every day for a fraction of the price they would have paid prior to Bonza entering the market.”

I’ve never had this happen with any other airline