Australians are still suffering from budget airline Bonza's unreliability issues, one year after its launch.
New data from Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) stated while 78.4 per cent of Bonza flights arrived on time in January this year, the budget carrier was the least-reliable airline to transport passengers on-time to Melbourne, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Mildura airports.
Bonza was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
It comes after the airline recorded the worst on-time performance statistics of any domestic carrier in December, with just 16.7 per cent of flights arriving and departing on time.
In the same month, the budget carrier had the highest rate of cancellations at 19.4 per cent, followed by Skytrans at 9 per cent and Virgin Australia at 7.7 per cent.
Bonza's December cancellation figure did not include the mass cancellation of all Darwin to Gold Coast flights in December 2023, due to a delay in the opening of Bonza's newer flight routes.
The BITRE report included on-time performance — including cancellations, arrivals and departures — for domestic routes for which the passenger load averaged 8,000 per month over the previous six months, and where two or more airlines operated in competition.
Anxious to travel
It's not often 56-year-old Sue Heenan — manager at a busy club in Tumbling Waters, 60 kilometres south of Darwin — gets a chance to take a vacation.
Ms Heenan booked tickets immediately after the budget airline launched return flights between Darwin and the Gold Coast for less than $300 in November 2023, hoping she and her husband could visit their newly-born grand-niece on the east coast.
"Living in Darwin, flights are really expensive to go anywhere and we have very limited options," Ms Heenan said.
"'Use it or lose it guys,' I kept saying. But little did I realise I was going to be the loser."
The loved-ones are still yet to meet, after Bonza scrapped all flights between Darwin and the Gold Coast until March 20, 2024, less than 24 hours before the husband and wife were set to fly.
It took two months before the couple were refunded $574 for their flights, which is more than one month late, according to Bonza's refund policy.
The married couple are still $1,300 out of pocket for babysitter, accommodation and car rental fees which were non-refundable.
Mass cancellations
More than 100 people have banded together on a social media forum called "BONZA SCUM OF THE AIR", sharing stories of monetary-losses and plans ruined due to Bonza disruptions.
Bundaberg resident Rodney Keenan created the social media group after he was left "financially burdened" by the airline, after a return flight to his hometown was cancelled.
"Bonza did not have the necessary approval to land in Bundaberg, despite continuing to sell the flights," Mr Keenan said.
As a result of the cancellation, Mr Keenan said he incurred costs for accommodation, two fares with Virgin and a one-way car hire totalling more than $2,000.
"It took me two months and a credit card dispute to finally secure a refund, after sending six ignored emails to Bonza and spending endless hours waiting for a response via their chat app," he said.
In a statement, Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan said the December delays were "well publicised".
"We have learnt and vastly improved from our December 2023 cancellations and [on-time performance]," Mr Jordan said.
Owner's legal battle
Bonza offered the ABC several different reasons for the airline's unreliability over the past six months, including bird strikes and compliance issues.
The legal battle its owner, 777 Partners, was fighting overseas was not one of them.
In March 2023, three lessors took legal action and repossessed four planes leased to 777 Partners for use by Flair Airlines, due to $US2.2 million in outstanding rent and interest.
777 Partners consequently gave Flair multiple planes, which were originally meant to be leased to Bonza.
Two of Bonzas six aircraft are still wet leased to Flair Airlines.
Bonza declined to comment about whether the legal proceedings affected its service in Australia.
A 777 Partners spokesperson said the ongoing legal proceedings did not affect Bonza.