Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum with Fiji Airways managing director/chief executive officer Andre Viljoen and members of the Kadavu community welcoming the ‘Island of Kadavu’ on December 3, 2018. Photo: DEPTFO News
Congratulations Fiji Airways on the arrival of your very own brand new DQ-FAB Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, the Island of Kadavu.
In fact, all Fijians share in this momentous occasion where we actually own one of the newest and latest aircrafts in the world.
As Fiji Airways managing director Andre Viljoen said, once all their narrow bodied aircrafts would be replaced by the Boeing 737 Max 8, the airline would have one of the youngest and newest fleets in the world.
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Another reason to celebrate was that Fiji Airways’ is now being a partner with Global Airline Alliance now joins Oneworld as its first Oneworld connect member.
This means Fiji Airways will connect with major airlines Qantas, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and American Airlines from tomorrow.
This means Fiji will see an increase in visitors, which would be a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the tourism industry.
While many major airlines were facing financial problems worldwide with many going under, the Fijian Government saw it fit to put their trust in our national airline and provide the financial support it needed.
This was when the airline, then known as Air Pacific, was not doing too well and profit at the end of each financial year was nothing to write home about.
With the right strategy in place and the right people in the right positions in the airline, the holes that contributed to its losses were plugged and the airline made a turn around.
For the past few years, staff have been receiving bonuses that they had never before dreamed of.
The airline began leasing aircrafts such as the A3oo Airbus. Now it has purchased its own, one of the latest in the world.
Some of their people need a pat on their back, begin- ning from company chairman Rajesh Punja, Mr Viljoen and every worker in Fiji Airways, right down to their tea lady. The air will substantially improve fuel savings and efficiencies with fuel accounting for more than 30 percent of the airline’s cost base.
The aircraft can fly further, up to 6570 kilometres and carry more passengers.
Fiji Airways has opted for a configuration of eight Business Class seats and 162 economy class seats.
On board features include personal seat back entertainment on Panasonic’s E-X-1 screens with 10-inch screens in Economy Class and 13-inch screens in Business while for the first time, WIFI connectivity in the air through the Panasonic system is available.
This means, high-speed internet at 30,000 feet, bringing us on par with some of the world’s best airlines.
Also for the first time, passengers can view live TV in the air with three channels – BBC News, CNN News and Sport 24. Now that has to be a giant leap forward for Fiji Airways. A dot in the Pacific Ocean, Fiji has certainly come a long way.
CHARLES CHAMBERS
Feedback: charles.chambers@fijisun.com.fj
