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Fiji Airways posts record results; Air Tahiti Nui to receive maiden B787 in November
March 29th 2018
Nadi-based Fiji Airways Group has announced its highest ever profit before tax of US$47 million for the financial year ended December 31, 2017. Read More » The result was a 13.4% increase over the previous year.
Fiji Airways and subsidiary, Fiji Link, carried 1.6 million passengers in 2017 compared with 1.4 million a year earlier.
Fiji Airways CEO and managing director, Andre Viljoen, said: “To achieve a fourth year of successive record profits is a massive achievement by the entire team of the Fiji Airways Group.
The airline boss said: “Fuel prices will continue to be a challenge for all airlines and we will not get complacent with the fiscal discipline required to meet our financial targets. It will, however, be an exciting year for Fiji Airways as we become the first airline in the region to receive and operate the brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on our short-haul markets to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.”
In 2017, the carrier ordered five B737 MAX 8s, which will replace its B737NG fleet. The first two MAXs are due in November and December this year. Fiji Airways operates three A330-200s, an A330-300, a B737-700, four B737-800s and three ATRs. The airline is assessing the A350 and the B787 as fleet replacements. The carrier flies to Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo (resumed in 2017).
In Tahiti, Air Tahiti Nui has said it expects the first two B787-9 Dreamliners on direct order from Boeing in October. The Papeete-headquartered airline will receive another pair of B787-9s, on lease from ALC, in May and July 2019, respectively. The four twin jets will replace Air Tahiti Nui’s five ageing A340-300s.
The carrier has a long-haul network from Papeete to Auckland, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Paris. The Dreamliner has been rostered on Auckland and Los Angeles from November 7. Tokyo will served by the B787-9 from February 4.
The Dreamliners will have 30 business, 32 ‘Moana Premium’ and 232 ‘Moana Economy’ seats. Premium economy will be a new service class for Air Tahiti Nui.
