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Canberra Today 9°/12° | Friday, May 17, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Ownership twist in ‘profitable’ Bonza’s demise

Bonza… running into ownership headwinds.
By aviation writer Scott Mayman
There’s been a twist in the case of grounded low-cost airline Bonza with startling new revelations that suggest it was profitable, and was about to be sold – which may have angered the current owner.

Triple Seven Partners – based in Miami – operated the Australian low-cost carrier, which reportedly had an Australian-based investor who was about to take over the ownership.

But when Triple Seven Partners found out – it repossessed Bonza’s aircraft.

According to the Australian Aviation magazine, Bradley Davren, CEO of AVCRO – Bonza’s outsourced maintenance company, the airline’s business model was working and there were no financial issue and no credit issues.

“They were in a position where ultimately the current owner could have just shifted that liability away from themselves and the airline would have kept moving fat, dumb and happy without issue,” he told the magazine.

“Had the outcome come to fruition, I suspect you would have seen Bonza kick into overdrive”.

Discussions had already been held for Bonza to fly in and out of Canberra Airport.

Administrators will take a few more days to complete their own investigations into Bonza’s future.

Bonza ‘unlikely’ to resume flights: minister

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One Response to Ownership twist in ‘profitable’ Bonza’s demise

Jim says: 3 May 2024 at 9:47 am

I don’t buy this superficial analysis at all. The owners are a mess – no doubt. But I’m not convinced Bonza was in rude financial health as suggested either. There are some routes with high patronage on a regular basis, but then a shedload of others with constant cancellations, low loadings and in no way profitable. The real story is probably a lot more mixed.

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