Jake Nelson

Speaking exclusively to the Australian Aviation Podcast in his first major interview since the collapse of Bonza, Jordan said the popularity of his airline before its financier, 777 Partners, abruptly pulled funding in April 2024, showed that Australians in regional areas want more airlines.

A two-month flight testing program will get underway in coming weeks following the aircraft’s departure from the assembly line in Toulouse, where it has now been fitted with its twin Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

In its submission to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into regional airfares, the Flying Kangaroo said regional aviation is “commercially challenging”, with airport charges, distance, fuel costs and maintenance all impacting its bottom line.

The March pilot saw passengers travelling on a return trip between Auckland and Hong Kong able to employ their digital ID throughout their journey. This included adding passport data in the Air NZ app, securely sharing information at online check-in, and using it for biometric scans at checkpoints.

The former health minister, who also served as Minister for Defence, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, and Minister for Home Affairs in successive Coalition governments, has replaced former director Stewart Morland as of last month.

Operating on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 May, the flights will complement the existing services via Burnie on other days, cutting the travel time from 95 to 55 minutes and “significantly improving access for residents, visitors, businesses and freight customers”, the airline said.