Furious Bonza workers sacked but stuck in no-man’s land without their money after no buyers emerged for the failed airline

Frustrated former employees of failed airline Bonza have been told they are now unemployed, but claim they have no right or option for help.

Bonza put it down other 323 employees during a creditors meeting Tuesday after the airline filed for bankruptcy voluntary management on April the 30th.

Hall Chadwick partner Kathleen Vouris told irate employees that the airline had failed to find a buyer – likely due to the company’s $115 million debt and lack of planes.

Ms Vouris said Bonza employees should be given ‘security’ and ‘the opportunity to look for other work’.

However, no decision has yet been made on whether Bonza will be liquidated, meaning its employees – who have not received wages for two months – will not have access to the federal government’s Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme.

Bonza has laid off its remaining 323 employees, who have remained unpaid since the airline went into voluntary administration on April 30.

Hall Chadwick partner Kathleen Vouris said Bonza employees should be given ‘certainty’ and ‘the opportunity to look for other employment’

“You will not receive your rights until we decide what the future of the company is,” Ms. Vouris said. Courier mail reported.

“We’re going as fast as we can until we make a decision.”

Ms Vouris apologized for keeping employees in the dark for two months of Hall Chadwick’s investigation, but promised that whatever decision her team made was the “best and most reasonable at the time”.

However, for many workers the apology came too little, with some finding themselves in such desperate financial circumstances that they were ‘living in warehouses’.

“Having to keep staff busy with cases and learning new information for the most part from the media was awful, to say the least,” said one.

The Transport Workers’ Union described the decision to lay off Bonza’s remaining workers as a “dark day” for the aviation industry.

“This is incredibly difficult news for Bonza workers who have not received wages for more than two months following the airline’s sudden collapse,” said Michael Kaine, national secretary of the TWU.

“It’s a dark day for regional communities across Australia who remain isolated by unaffordable or unavailable air travel to stay connected to the nation.”

Staff called for immediate liquidation of the company so that workers can access government support, arguing that liquidation is inevitable because Bonza does not own any aircraft.

Bonza started flying in January 2023 but has struggled to expand its fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8s.

Miami-based 777 Partners subsequently withdrew its stake in an aircraft leasing company, which led to Bonza losing its lease on its aircraft due to unpaid bills.

The airline’s last planes flew from Australia last week.

Ms Vouris said the company’s aircraft lessor was one of the first stakeholders her team consulted with, followed by investors and partners.

Staff called for Bonza’s immediate liquidation so workers can access government support

Hall Chadwick tried to extend the government by two months in the Federal Court last month and won.

The bank is expected to hold its final creditors’ meeting in early August.

For now it is not clear whether Hall Chadwick will bring forward that meeting to give employees access to the FEG scheme.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kathleen Vouris for comment. Administrators will release an official statement Tuesday afternoon.