Shanghai Soon: Gavoka

National carrier, Fiji Airways, will service direct flights through Shanghai this year.

The promise from Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka will be fulfilled at the end of the year.

In his address at the annual Fiji Tourism Exchange in Nadi yesterday, Mr Gavoka said negotiations were at advanced stage, with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in talks with his Chinese counterpart.

“We all want to have direct services to the mainland of China,” said Mr Gavoka.

“The air service agreement had Beijing as the point between the two countries, but Fiji always wants to go to Shanghai.

“The Chinese government has agreed that Shanghai will be the point of direct service, so it’s at government-to-government level,”

“It’s quite advanced, and very soon the operators will start talking to their counterparts in China to set this up.

Fiji Airways is currently flying to Hong Kong, which has been a very lucrative route.

Air India code share 

Fiji Airways senior manager global sales operations and support Vara Natuilagilagi said the code share arrangement with Air Indian was not competitiv.

“We are still working on that in terms of that fairness,” she said, as Mr Gavoka confirmed Fiji Airways choice was India.