Since Bonza first appeared on the Australian radar, its mantra has been about connecting communities who don't have access to affordable fares with nonstop flights. Yesterday Bonza did precisely that by announcing a first-ever year-round direct service between Queensland's Gold Coast and Launceston on the island of Tasmania.

Another unserved connection now Bonzered

As islanders, Tasmanians rely heavily on air travel, and a trip to the Gold Coast usually requires flying to the mainland and making a connection from Melbourne or Sydney, involving a lot of time, inconvenience and exorbitant fares, particularly to a family holiday destination like the Gold Coast.

Photo: 55north Photography | Shutterstock

From November that will be a thing of the past when Bonza launches flights from Launceston Airport (LST) in northern Tasmania to the Gold Coast Airport (OOL). Bonza is establishing its third operational base on the Gold Coast and will launch this route on November 21st with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

While this is a boost for Launceston locals, there will also be plenty of traffic heading south to the abundant natural attractions of northern Tasmania, including Cataract Gorge, the Tamar Valley, and the nearby Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. While Tasmanian Tigers might be hard to spot, there is a breeding program for Tasmanian Devils at the local zoo and tours to penguin reserves.

Photo: Bonza

Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey announced the route in Launcestion yesterday, and she noted it was another example of how the airline is bringing life to its mission of connecting communities by focusing on unserved and underserved routes.

"Today is a Bonza day for Launnie and Goldie locals who can now enjoy more of their backyard with direct flights that don't cost the earth. Since we launched in January, travellers have been calling out for flights from Launceston on our social media channels and today we are delighted to deliver.

"This brand new low-cost route is a first to operate year round and will open up opportunities in both destinations for tourism and trade. The good news is that more than 11,000 Tasmanians have already downloaded our Fly Bonza app so they're ready to go."

Starting from scratch the independent low-cost carrier rolled out a network of 27 routes to 17 destinations in a matter of months and introduced Australians to the joys of flying on a Boeing 737 MAX new-generation aircraft. This first Tasmanian service is the 34th route, 18th destination and the fourth state to join Bonza's growing network map. Povey added that there will be more destinations from Launceston, and they will be revealed "when the time is right."

Map: Bonza

Many Australians will be surprised to learn that Launceston is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, one of just 49 globally. The city is surrounded by lush pastures, clean air and water and rich soils, which more than 150 food producers and 200 cafes and restaurants turn into the paddock-to-plate menus the region is famous for.

Photo: Michael Doran | Simple Flying

Attractive deals

Flights are now on sale via the Fly Bonza app and start at AU$79 ($52) one way for a direct 737 MAX flight of around 2:25 hours. For comparison, a flight on Australia's largest domestic airline on the same day as Bonza's launch from Launceston to the Gold Coast is priced at AU$240 ($158), although that does include a bag, with a connection in Melbourne and a trip time of 4:35 hours or 5 hours via Sydney.

Bonza has made a success of some routes that its competitors said would never work, such as between Mildura and the Sunshine Coast and Launceston to the Gold Coast may well be another bolter from the blue (winner).