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Australia's competition regulator says regional communities have less choice without Bonza
May 22nd 2024
The collapse of LCC Bonza risks leaving regional communities in Australia with less choice for air travel, the country's competition watchdog said in its quarterly report on domestic airline competition. Read More » Bonza, which grounded all flights and entered voluntary administration at the end of April, focused on regional routes during its 14 months of operations, with no flights to Brisbane and Sydney. "Since Bonza began operations, travellers benefited from more affordable airfares and the convenience of direct connections to various regional and holiday destinations otherwise not offered by other airlines," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Commissioner, Anna Brakey, said. "While Bonza’s impact on competition had been limited to date, its presence represented an opportunity for greater competition to emerge in the highly concentrated domestic aviation sector." The ACCC report noted 30 of Bonza's 37 domestic routes were unserved by any other airline. More broadly, the ACCC report said Australia's domestic passenger numbers exceeded 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic in February, underpinned by major events such as Taylor Swift’s Eras concert tour in Melbourne and Sydney, and a World Wrestling Entertainment event in Perth.
