Aircraft Maintenance Organisation Certificate for air service operator and training school not renewed after repeated and serious non-compliances - Gavoka

Our future pilots must learn within a system that upholds international norms as aviation is an unforgiving domain, there is no margin for error.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Aviation, Viliame Gavoka highlighted this during his ministerial statement in Parliament about recent events involving an air service operator, aviation training and maintenance provider whose Aircraft Maintenance Organisation Certificate, expired on 22nd November 2025 following a regulatory assessment that identified repeated and serious non-compliances.

Gavoka says the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji has given many opportunities to this operator to make things right, but they have not responded in kind.

He says safety cannot be compromised because aircraft demand precision, infrastructure demands vigilance, and the global community demands regulatory integrity.

Gavoka says in this industry, shortcuts cost lives, and standards are the only currency of trust.

He says aviation safety is not just a technical requirement, it is a matter of trust, of lives, and of Fiji's standing in the global community, and it is the principle that underpins every decision we make and the foundation upon which our tourism economy and international credibility rests.

The Deputy Prime Minister says safety is neither optional nor negotiable, it is a rule that governs our aviation system and protects every passenger, every crew member, and every aspiring student in this vital sector.

He says they have submitted a corrective action plan, but one assessed by CAAF has been found to be inadequate to restore confidence in the organisation's safety and quality systems.

Gavoka says CAAF has therefore decided that the AMO certificate will not be renewed, this decision was made by the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji under its statutory mandate, free from external influence, grounded in evidence, procedure and duty.

He says they acknowledge the disruptions this has caused as students will experience delays, training schedules will shift, and families feel the impact.

The Deputy Prime Minister says these realities are not dismissed, yet no disruption outweighs the obligation to protect lives, no timeline supersedes safety.

Opposition MP Semi Koroilavesau says he understands that Sunflower Aviation is a subsidiary of Joyce Aviation Group and has asked the Deputy Prime Minister to speak to its Director Tim Joyce and have a discussion.

Koroilavesau says this is not important only for aviation or for Sunflower, it is for every investor that comes into Fiji and invests their money, time, and their human resources to assist Fiji moving forward.