Fiji Airways suspends 95% of its international flights

Fiji Airways has suspended 95% of its international flights in response to the COVID-19 impact around the world.

While making the announcement, the Minister for Economy and Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Link domestic services will remain in effect but may be adjusted depending on demand.

He says that in order to continue to assist importers and exporters, Fiji Airways is actively seeking advanced commitments to facilitate weekly freight service flights from Nadi to Los Angeles, Nadi to Sydney and Nadi into Auckland.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Airways will operate one Nadi to Sydney return service on Saturday 21st March and Sunday 22nd March, and suspend the service after that.

He says flights from Nadi to Los Angeles return services will operate on Saturday 21st March and Sunday 22nd March, and be suspended after the last Los Angeles to Nadi flight returns to Fiji on 24th March.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Airways will operate the last return Auckland to Nadi service on Sunday 22nd March.

He says the final South Pacific return services between Nadi or Suva and Nuku’alofa, Honiara and Funafuti will operate on Saturday 21st March. Sayed-Khaiyum says the return services between Nadi and Brisbane, Melbourne, Christchurch, Wellington, Hong Kong, Tokyo (Narita), Apia, Tarawa, Christmas Island (Kiritimati), Vava’u, San Francisco and Honolulu are suspended immediately.

He says direct return services between Suva and Sydney, Auckland and Port Vila, along with services between Apia-Honolulu and Christmas Island (Kiritimati) to Honolulu are also suspended with immediate effect.

Sayed-Khaiyum says twice a week services between Singapore and Nadi will continue.

He says the suspension schedule will remain in place through the end of May 2020, where further travel restrictions may be announced if necessary.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Airways will be contacting customers affected by this suspension schedule directly over the coming days.

He says anyone who due to the confinement order in place in the Lautoka confined area will be unable to make their pre-scheduled flights, domestic or international will not be charged fees or penalised.

He says Fiji Airways is working closely with foreign embassies and governments to arrange for one-off repatriation flights to and from Sydney, Auckland, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong to allow foreign nationals to safely return home and permit Fijian citizens living abroad to return to Fiji.

Sayed-Khaiyum says in light of these suspensions, Fiji Airways has announced they will be re-assessing future staffing requirements and the the Fijian Government remains committed to ensuring that employees throughout the country who are impacted by the global COVID-19 economic crisis have their rights upheld and best interests protected.

Meanwhile the Managing Director and CEO of Fiji Airways, Andre Viljoen says Fiji Airways instituted its Business Continuity and Financial-Security plans and one of the many actions the airline is implementing is Leave Without Pay of four weeks between the period of April to June for all employees.

Viljoen says all senior management are taking a 35% pay cut.

He says these are necessary and prudent measures to preserve cash as they, like most other airlines around the world, try to ride out this crisis.

Viljoen says it is unfortunate and they will assist all staff through the difficult days and weeks ahead.

He says cash preservation is the only way to ensure the sustainability of their airline and they have also engaged with all relevant stakeholders in this regard.

Viljoen says they are restricted by the border control measures now enforced across a large part of their network, which make it nearly impossible for them or any airline to continue scheduled operations.

He says the suspension will be in place until such time as demand returns.

Viljoen says they are a resilient business and a proud national airline, and are taking actions needed at this time in response to the current situation.

He also announced that the airline will work with all staff and employee organisations, as the company re-assesses its manpower requirements in light of the suspension decision.

Viljoen says this announcement will inevitably impact the people and they continue to engage with all employee and employee organisations regarding the future manpower requirements when they eventually return to what will undoubtedly be a thinner schedule.