Fijian national carrier Fiji Airways is preparing to add the Australian capital city of Canberra to its list of international destinations later this year.
The Fijian airline flew a promotional flight into Canberra Airport this morning to announce the new service, which will commence from July 2023.
Fiji Airways Chief Executive and Managing Director Mr Andre Viljoen says the airline conducted extensive market research before deciding on this new service.
“As Fiji’s National Airline, we are proud to be flying to the Capital of Australia. This is a living testament to the strong relations that the two countries have always enjoyed, and demonstrates the importance of Australia as our leading tourism market.”
“We are pleased to be able to provide the people of Canberra the only direct flights to Nadi, facilitating a seamless holiday experience which begins the moment they step onboard, Viljoen said.
“As of July, your getaway to paradise will be a short four-hour journey with our international award winning APEX Five Star service. We also anticipate the many Fiji citizens will also take advantage of this route to visit Canberra.”
The airline’s chief executive pointed out that the new connectivity between Nadi and Canberra also provided something of a stepping stone for travellers connecting to north America, as well as other South Pacific destinations.
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Fiji Airways A350
Mr Viljoen adds the new service has been made possible with the forthcoming inclusion of two new Airbus A350s into the Fiji Airways fleet.
Earlier this month, Fijian Minister for Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka announced the flag carrier, Fiji Airways, will be taking delivery of a further two Airbus A350-900 aircraft in order to boost capacity.
Fiji Airways will then operate a total of eight widebody Airbus aircraft, giving a fleet at four A350-900 aircraft and 4 Airbus A330-200/300 aircraft.
According to local news source Fiji Live, Fiji has been seeing exceptional travel numbers from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
“We will receive the first of our two new A350s in July, resulting in an immediate increase in capacity across our network. This means we will be able to dedicate more seats to the Australian market, specifically Canberra,” said Mr Viljoen.
“Australia continues to be our major source market for tourism. Not only do we need to be able to cater for the growing number of tourists visiting Fiji, but also position ourselves to create demand and ensure that Fiji Airways is their airline of choice,” he concluded.
Today’s promotional flight
The announcement was celebrated with a promotional flight this morning, carrying Fijian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Hon. Viliame Gavoka, the Fijian Drua, and local fans to watch tonight’s match against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra.
Fiji Airways has also confirmed its sponsorship of the Brumbies for Super Rugby Pacific.
The Fijian national airline plans to provide scheduled services between Nadi and Canberra twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays from July to the end of September, and three times a week from October onwards.
