BONZA

[Greg Hyde]

Bonza administrators tell first creditors' meeting they are hopeful airline can be saved

About 20 parties, including investors, airlines and travel companies, are in talks to save Bonza, administrators have revealed at the first creditors' meeting for the embattled airline.

Representatives from Hall Chadwick told attendees on Friday morning they were hopeful a transaction would happen in the "not too distant future".

The ABC understands the airline's debts total more than $116 million, including $77 million in loans, $16 million owed to trade creditors, $10.5 million to airports, $4.6 million to the plane lessors, $5.3 million in employee wages and entitlements, and $58,000 to customers for cancelled flights.

Bonza plane "Bruce" left Australia on Thursday morning after being repossessed.

Customers have been told no refunds are being processed and they should instead contact their bank or insurance provider to recoup lost money.

Any flights after May 14 have not been officially cancelled, but customers have been warned it's unlikely they will return to the air next week as hoped, as the airline does not have access to any of its existing fleet.

The budget carrier's aircraft leases were terminated on April 29 by lessor AIP Capital, which has enforced its right to repossess the planes.

Administrators revealed that 737-Max 8 "Bruce", which had already left the country, had been leased from Canadian airline Flair but the agreement expired in February.
"Bruce" took off from Sunshine Coast Airport on Thursday morning, bound for a refuelling stop in Honolulu before heading to its final destination in Calgary.

The four remaining planes — "Bazza", "Shazza", "Sheila" and "Malc", which are owned by AIP Capital — are expected to be sent overseas to be used by other carriers.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-...line/103829502