This was published 1 year ago
Bogan or brilliant? New airline Bonza reveals 'Shazza' as the name for its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
By Craig Platt
Bonza's first aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX, has been named 'Shazza'.
Not to be outdone by Qantas, which gave its Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes a series of Australian-themed names including Quokka, Boomerang and Skippy, upstart budget carrier Bonza has announced its own Aussie-themed name for its first aircraft.
And the name for Bonza's Boeing 737 MAX? Shazza.
Yes, you read that right.
It may not be up there with Boaty McBoatface when it comes to allowing the public to suggest names for vehicles, but Shazza is certainly one of the more unusual names for an airline plane flying in Australia.
The airline invited members of the public to suggest names, which were then voted on by Bonza's 'Local Legends' — local ambassadors in the communities where the airline will fly once it launches later this year.
"It doesn't get any more Aussie than that," the airline said in a Facebook post announcing the new name.
Most social media users tended to agree, greeting the announcement with enthusiasm (though a handful labelled it "cringeworthy" and "bogan"). The airline's Facebook page was inundated with posts from Sharons, celebrating the recognition of their nickname.
"I think this might just be the proudest moment of my life," wrote one Sharon.
Some suggested comedy actress Magda Szubanski, who famously played Sharon on sitcom Kath and Kim, should launch the airline. That's unlikely, considering Szubanski already launched rival Jetstar as part of a massive advertising campaign back in 2004.
Bonza is hoping to launch flights from September from its base on the Sunshine Coast, pending regulatory approval, and plans to initially fly to 17 destinations on 27 routes. Twenty five of these routes are not currently serviced by other airlines, according to Bonza.
It is the first new airline to launch in Australia since the now-defunct Tigerair in 2007, which shut down due to the pandemic.
Bonza plans to offer fares at about half the price of those offered by full-service airlines and similar to those of Jetstar.
Along with the Sunshine Coast, expected destinations include Albury, Bundaberg, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Gladstone, Mackay, Mildura, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Rockhampton, Toowoomba Wellcamp, Townsville and the Whitsunday Coast.
Bonza will fly into Melbourne Airport but not to Sydney, with Bonza's chief executive Tim Jordan citing better commercial terms and landing slots on offer at other facilities.
Bonza planes will feature a single-class cabin of 186 seats with different seating options, according to the airline.
The airline has already broken some Australian aviation conventions, even before it launches.
It will only sell fares through its own app — bookings won't be available through third-party websites. It will also have Australia's first non-gender specific uniform rules for its cabin crew, allowing staff to mix and match a variety of clothing options.
Bonza's plane is the first Boeing 737 MAX to be based in Australia and will form part of a fleet of new aircraft. The runner-up name was, naturally, "Bazza", which may well be the name of the airline's second plane.
The 737 MAX, which first entered service in 2017, was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after a faulty flight stabilisation system saw two of the jets involved in fatal crashes, killing more than 300 people.
America's Federal Aviation Administration cleared the plane to resume service in November 2020 after changes were made.
Virgin Australia also has four 737 MAX planes on order, reduced from an original order of 23.
The 737 MAX offers a 15 per cent fuel saving on previous versions of the 737.
See also: Bigger seats, longer range: Jetstar's new Airbus touches down
See also: 'It's so cool': There's never been a better time to get a job in travel
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