Delay was due to safety and unavoidable operational constraints - Fiji Airways

Fiji Airways says the significant delay of the flight bound for Auckland yesterday was due to safety and unavoidable operational constraints that needed to be addressed before departure.

In a statement, they say they understand how disruptive delays can be to people’s travel plans, and they sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Fiji Airways says the safety of passengers is always their top priority, and ensuring everything was in place meant adjusting the departure time on this occasion.

In terms of communication challenges, the national carrier says they acknowledge feedback that updates during the delay could have been clearer.

They say providing timely and accurate information during irregular operations is essential to them.

They also highlighted that on this occasion, operations were significantly stretched as it was the busiest day ever recorded in Fiji Airways’ history, which impacted their ability to share updates as promptly as they would have liked.

They added that they are reviewing their processes to strengthen how they communicate with customers in similar situations in the future, and apologise for the frustration this may have caused.

Fiji Airways says to support customers and improve their experience, they are reviewing internal procedures to ensure better real-time updates in the event of extended delays, enhancing training for frontline teams, and working with Air Terminal Services to assist passengers more effectively during disruptions.

They say they will continue to invest in systems that improve visibility and care for passengers impacted by operational changes, and as a gesture of goodwill, affected customers will be sent a discount code to use on their next travel with Fiji Airways.

The airline says this is their way of thanking customers for their patience and continued support.

In terms of accommodating affected passengers, Fiji Airways says they had prioritised elderly passengers and families with young children.

They say they recognise that when delays extend for several hours, additional support such as accommodation or travel assistance may be appropriate.

They add that on this occasion, their team made every effort to secure hotel rooms. However, due to high demand during the Christmas travel period, only a limited number were available.

Fiji Airways emphasises that these were prioritised for elderly customers and families travelling with young children, adding that support is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and stressing that they apologise to passengers if the options available did not meet their expectations.