FLIGHTS between Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast have been cut back as budget airline Bonza deals with a lack of sustainable demand.
The airline confirmed it has dropped one flight per week from its schedule between Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast in an effort to increase reliability.
It takes the frequency from four flights per week to three.
Newcastle and Sunshine Coast passengers can still catch planes between the destinations on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Bonza announced in February last year the Queensland route would be among its array of new services connecting regional towns and cities, and took off from Newcastle for the first time in March this year.
An open letter to Bonza customers on Thursday confirmed five routes had been cut "where there isn't sustainable demand" and some routes had been reduced by one flight per week.
The changes come into play in a little more than two weeks, from August 1.
Customers booked on affected routes will be contacted, and may be eligible for a full refund.
Bonza's chief commercial officer Carly Povey said by removing some of the flights from the schedule, the airline was setting itself up for the long haul and would have a buffer when things don't go to plan.
"In order for us to earn your trust, as we know that we're at the start of that journey, we have decided to take a step back to allow our services to become more reliable," she told customers in the open letter.
Ms Povey said Bonza would move forward with "growth plans" from October 2023.
Flights still take off between Newcastle and the Whitsunday Coast twice per week, on Thursdays and Sundays.
The routes that have been cut include between the Sunshine Coast and Coffs Harbour, Tamworth, and Port Macquarie, as well as between Cairns and Mackay, and Toowoomba and the Whitsundays.
Bonza sells tickets primarily through its app, with one-way tickets from Newcastle to the Sunshine Coast going for $69.
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