While Fiji Link contributes just 5 per cent to the revenue of the group, it flies 16,000 flights per year compared with the 10,000 flights Fiji Airways makes internationally, says FijiAirways managing director and CEO Andre Viljoen.
Mr Viljoen told The Fiji Times online news portal, The Lens@177, that the domestic carrier was an integral subsidiary of Fiji Airways and a very important part of the group’s business.
“Fiji Link is the domestic airline, and it feeds traffic on to our international services and from our international services to various destinations in the country like Savusavu, Taveuni, Kadavu. So, it’s very important,” he said.
“It’s only 5 per cent of the revenue of the group, but in terms of passengers, that’s 300,000 out of 1.7 million, so it’s got a much bigger share of the passenger feed. So, it’s a very important part of our business.
“And here’s an interesting fact: it flies about 16,000 flights a year, whereas Fiji Airways international only 10,000 flights a year.
“So a very active, small domestic airline.”
Mr Viljoen said currently, Fiji Airways has the best aircraft in the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 737 MAX and that they’re happy with the fleet they have.
“At the time when I joined, they recently added three Airbus A330-200s, which are good aircraft, and there was a A330-300 on lease. But then I had five very old 737-800, some of them were 20 years old.
“So, there had to be a fleet replacement we had to do on the 737s, but the Airbuses were about five, six years old when I joined. So, they were reasonably new.”
Currently, he said, Fiji Airways had four Airbus A350s which are “widely recognised as the best aircraft you can buy”.
“So, we’re very happy with them. We’ve also upgraded our 737s to the 737 MAX. Now the 350s and the MAXs are what we call new generation aircraft.”
Mr Viljoen said the airbuses they have are more fuel-efficient, have composite components, lighter wings, carry more cargo and fly faster.
He said that in terms of the 737, which was the regional fleet and the A350s used for long hauls, these were the best one could get.
