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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial | |
ARTICLE VIEW: | |
Travelers stranded as Australian airline cancels all flights | |
By Lilit Marcus, CNN | |
Updated: | |
3:23 AM EDT, Tue April 30, 2024 | |
Source: CNN | |
Around Australia, travelers are stranded and trying to get home after | |
low-cost airline Bonza unexpectedly announced it has “temporarily | |
suspended services.” | |
The airline, Australia’s newest, had a fleet of six planes, all | |
painted a bright purple color and given Aussie-inspired names like | |
Sheila and Matilda. | |
According to a report in CNN affiliate , Bonza is now in severe | |
financial trouble. | |
In a statement made on April 30, reportedly said that “discussions | |
are currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the | |
business.” | |
“We apologize to our customers who are impacted by this,” he added. | |
Catherine King, Australia’s transportation minister, told reporters | |
Tuesday that she had spoken with representatives from Bonza and urged | |
them to keep passengers fully informed. | |
“We have made it very clear to Bonza that our expectations are that | |
they inform passengers about what their options are, what changes are | |
being made, and that they respect their consumer rights, of which they | |
do have some,” King said. | |
“Our focus right at the moment is to assist Australian passengers who | |
are stranded at the end of school holidays.” | |
Bonza launched with much fanfare in January 2023, using the slogan | |
“Here for Allstralia.” It specialized in flying to smaller, | |
under-served destinations like Launceston in Tasmania and Gladstone in | |
Queensland. | |
While that was a boon for residents of those areas, it has proven an | |
additional challenge among those now struggling to get back home | |
following Tuesday’s flight cancellations. | |
Qantas, Australia’s largest air carrier, services only six of the 36 | |
routes that Bonza has been flying. The airline said that any affected | |
Bonza passenger can get a free ticket on a Qantas or Jetstar flight | |
where seats are available, and has encouraged affected customers to | |
call their hotline for help. | |
Virgin Australia has also stepped into the breach. | |
“We will immediately support any passengers stranded mid-journey by | |
offering complimentary seats on Virgin Australia-operated flights to | |
the airport nearest to their final planned Bonza destination,” | |
(formerly Twitter). | |
Bonza’s last Instagram post went up on April 28. | |
Currently, the company’s website is still online, but it’s not | |
possible to book flights and all travel dates appear blacked out. | |
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