A report by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) stated that Bonza’s business model was built on the airline operating much smaller 72-seat turboprop aircraft on routes to secondary cities ...

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.

Federal transport minister Catherine King says regional airline Bonza is "unlikely" to get back up and running after grounding flights and entering voluntary administration on April 30.

When Bonza airline's maiden flight from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsundays took off on Tuesday, to the applause and cheering of passengers, it marked a new era of travel for regional Australians.