Bonza waiting for CASA to okay a B737 dry lease

BTN News
Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Australia's Bonza is finding its plan to convert two short-term wet-lease contracts into longer-term dry leases more difficult than expected, with one of the B737-8s now back in Canada and the other stuck at the Sunshine Coast, awaiting approval from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).


The two planes came from Flair Airlines in Canada and Bonza had negotiated to keep them both in Australia and issue the jets with local VH- registrations.

However, one has since returned to Canada and Bonza appears to have underestimated the time needed to secure CASA approval for the second.

Bonza has now had to cut some ex-Gold Coast frequencies to suit its existing four-aircraft fleet.

Destinations affected (ie, seeing fewer weekly frequencies) so far are Cairns, Mackay, Townsville, Proserpine, Launceston, Melbourne Avalon and Melbourne Tullamarine.  

Bonza waiting for CASA to okay a B737 dry lease

BTN News
Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Australia's Bonza is finding its plan to convert two short-term wet-lease contracts into longer-term dry leases more difficult than expected, with one of the B737-8s now back in Canada and the other stuck at the Sunshine Coast, awaiting approval from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).


The two planes came from Flair Airlines in Canada and Bonza had negotiated to keep them both in Australia and issue the jets with local VH- registrations.

However, one has since returned to Canada and Bonza appears to have underestimated the time needed to secure CASA approval for the second.

Bonza has now had to cut some ex-Gold Coast frequencies to suit its existing four-aircraft fleet.

Destinations affected (ie, seeing fewer weekly frequencies) so far are Cairns, Mackay, Townsville, Proserpine, Launceston, Melbourne Avalon and Melbourne Tullamarine.