When Bonza burst onto the scene in 2023 with its bright purple tails, its budgie smugglers, and its unique "point-to-point" business strategy, the scrappy start-up airline – and its chief executive Tim Jordan – looked to be sparking a revolution in the domestic market. Just over a year later, however, the lofty goal of being "here for Allstralia" lay in ruins, with Bonza's financier 777 Partners abruptly pulling funding and letting its aircraft be repossessed, leaving Jordan and the rest of the airline's staff and passengers holding the bag. It's easy in hindsight to say that the idea was doomed from the start, that there was no market for Bonza's idea of connecting regional centres and holiday destinations without connecting through big hubs, but according to Jordan, that's far from the real story. In this exclusive interview with the Australian Aviation Podcast, his first since his airline's collapse, Jordan tells Jake Nelson how the Bonza dream turned into a nightmare – and why he still thinks there's room for more domestic airlines in Australia's skies.
AI Summary coming soon
Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
From washing planes to flying them
Iran war turns our skies upside-down
Fixing the talent pipeline, with Anntonette Dailey
The future of Australia's air defence
Free AI-powered recaps of Australian Aviation Podcast Network and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.