Fiji Airways managing director/chief executive Stefan Pichler has confirmed that its newest aircraft to add to its improved and growing fleet, a B737-800 will arrive in April.

This is part of its five year strategic plan which had been approved by the airline’s board mid-December 2013.

The plan includes expanding the airline’s route network through key airline partnerships, increasing operating profits and passenger numbers. It would also add to the growing the number of aircraft and available seats.

These are just some of the key focus areas for Fiji Airways within the plan.

Mr Pichler confirmed this in an interview during the joint Fiji Australia & Australia Fiji Business Council Forum at the Grand Pacific Hotel yesterday.

He said this in light of how Fiji can be made into a truly regional hub by a type of seamless system that would integrate the air, sea and land through infrastructure and development.

Mr Pichler said there was no doubt increased capacity in the airline industry as well in shipping.

“We need to make sure that we have an integrated system, a multi-modal hub system which enables the systems of change between sea, air and road,” Mr Pichler said.

“So the more seamless this is for passengers and for cargo, the more efficient it is and the more we will produce and more …we’ll get more cargo.”

Mr Pichler said to do this, we needed to put weight equally on the three areas to allow the hubbing concept to materialise proper.

“We  take care of air and we have our five year plan. I think roads need a lot of thought and further strategy and force as well.

“My view is that Fiji cannot only concentrate on one or two sectors. Fiji needs to develop an adaptive strategy.

“This is the strategy of diversification which has a growth of several and over which would include the four service industries like tourists, banking and agriculture and fishing.”

Example

Mr Pichler said Fiji Airways as an example could be a symbol for the sector.

“As it’s staged right now, Fiji Airways is a little of the flagship of the Fijian economy and can be the symbol of the rise.

“We’re one of very few profitable airline companies in the region including Australia. So let Fiji Airways be the symbol of Fiji.”

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