Nadi International Airport has achieved Level 1 accreditation under the Airports Council International Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Programme, marking a major step in Fiji Airports’ efforts to provide a safe, accessible and inclusive experience for all travellers.
Level 1 is the first of three levels under the programme, with Level 3 representing the highest level of accreditation.
Fiji Airports Chief Executive Officer Mesake Nawari says the accreditation recognises the work already undertaken by their team and partners and marks the beginning of their journey towards continuously improving accessibility across their operations.
Nawari says their ambition does not stop at Level 1, and they want to build on this foundation, address areas for improvement and progressively work towards higher levels of accreditation.
The achievement builds on a range of accessibility initiatives at Nadi International Airport, including disability access audits involving people with lived experience of disability, stronger engagement with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities and accessibility and disability inclusion training for staff.
Accessibility requirements are also being integrated into procurement and infrastructure planning, while Fiji Airports continues to improve accessible passenger facilities and services.
Nawari says their goal is to create an airport environment where accessibility, dignity, safety and inclusion are considered at every stage of the passenger journey.
He says they want every person travelling through Fiji’s main international gateway to feel welcomed and supported and to be able to move through the airport with greater confidence, independence and dignity.
ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci says Nadi International Airport has successfully demonstrated its commitment to accessibility through the evidence presented during the programme’s evaluation process.
The independent assessment also found that Nadi International Airport is well positioned to progress towards Level 2, while identifying areas where further improvements can be made.
Nawari says they recognise there is more work to do and welcome the challenge.
He says accessibility is a shared responsibility, and Fiji Airports will continue working with its employees, aviation partners, stakeholders, passengers, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities and the wider community to identify and remove barriers across the airport experience.
Fiji Airports says that as it works towards the next level of accreditation, their focus will include strengthening accessibility governance and planning, increasing stakeholder participation, improving access to information and continuing to enhance the end-to-end passenger journey.
They say the ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Programme aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the 2019 ACI World Annual General Assembly resolution and ICAO Assembly Resolution A41-15 on Accessibility in International Civil Aviation.
Fiji Airports’ accessibility work also supports Fiji’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018, the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities 2025 and Fiji’s Civil Aviation Master Plan 2026–2031.
Nadi International Airport’s Level 1 accreditation is valid until 31st July 2029.
