More Than $1M Still Unpaid for Israel Charter

Fiji Airways is yet to receive payment of more than $1million, the outstanding balance of the chartered flight that took more than 200 pilgrims to the Annual Feast of Tabernacles in Israel last October.

The airline released a statement yesterday to clarify the legality of a Deed of Forbearance and guarantee entered into between Fiji Airways and the charterer, Pacific Voyager – who faced challenges meeting its payment obligations.

The deed did not reduce the amount payable by the charterer to Fiji Airways for the charter flights but split the payment into instalments.

The payment due in December 2023 was missed, the statement said.

“The company is in ongoing communication with the charterer and expects to receive full payment of the outstanding balance of the charter price in the coming week."

The Fiji Sun has been reliably informed organisers and pilgrims of the charter flight will meet at the Faith Harvest Church in Vunivivi, Nausori, tomorrow for an urgent meeting.

Photo: Leon Lord

Organisers hinted during the same August meeting that they were to market Fiji and Fijian made products to justify the arrangement to release the Tourism Fiji funds.

The pilgrims were stunned and unimpressed about the idea. It was not brought again in follow-up meetings before departure.

During their stay in Israel, no such promotion of Fiji or Fijian made products were conducted.

Returning to Nadi amidst the Israel- Gaza war, the flight landed with 243 passengers on October 12, 2023.

On the flight were 46 individuals who were not part of the charter flight but had requested assistance to leave Israel.

A grand welcome ceremony was put together by the Fijian Government, led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Minister Gavoka responds

In an earlier interview, Mr Gavoka labelled the FICAC allegations as "outlandish".

"Fiji Airways was a commercial company, not a state-owned enterprise and no one in government, including the prime minister or himself, had any say in the way Fiji Airways ran its business," he said.

"If they decided to run a charter to Israel, it was based on commercial considerations.

"I cannot authorise anything for Fiji Airways. I don't have any control over them."

ICEJ responds

In response to the same FICAC allegations, ICEJ Fiji director Mika Mudreilagi said all that took place was purely a business transaction.

"A purely business transaction with the private entity (Fiji Airways) and the charterer, it had nothing to do with Mr Gavoka, as was construed in the complaint," Mr Mudreilagi said.

"Terms of payments were there; there was nothing at all discussed about the balance coming out from the tourism marketing budget."

"People will believe what they want to believe but what began purely as a business transaction has been politicised. It has become political; it has gone out of control."

Fiji Airways

Fiji Airways has re-emphasised the decision to operate the charter flights to Israel was purely based on commercial considerations.

The airline assured a vetting process in relation to the charterer and the various guarantors was undertaken, which included consideration of the charterer's history of operating successful international charters and making timely payments, and the company's management and board of directors made an informed business judgment to proceed with the charter flights.

On its website, the charterer, Pacific Voyager began its operations in 2022.

Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj

https://poll.app.do/embed/2024-fijian-government