Is There Room for a 3rd Independent Airline in Australia?

Bonza was grounded not long after take-off. Rex is battling to cling to regional routes. What will it take for a third airline to break through the clouds?

A Rex Airlines Boeing 737 departs Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, Australia, on July 29, 2024. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Bonza’s routes connecting smaller towns with big cities were heavily celebrated by regional Australians who'd long pined for flights that could take them far away.

In some locations, airports were buzzing and crowded as eager travellers waited for their flights.