The chief executive of Fiji Airways (FJ, Nadi) has told Forbes that the carrier will soon need to make a decision on replacements for its A330s as they are approaching retirement age. The carrier currently operates three owned A330-200s and one leased A330-300.
"We plan to begin retiring these in the coming years, and we will need to make a decision on what would be a suitable replacement for them," said CEO Andre Viljoen.
Of the three A330-200s, DQ-FJT (msn 1394) is 11.28 years old, DQ-FJU (msn 1416) is 11.11 years old, and DQ-FJV (msn 1465) is 10.64 years old. The leased A330-300, DQ-FJW (msn 1692), is aged 8.45 years.
Viljoen says that Fiji Airways has enjoyed considerable success with its four newer A350-900s and alludes to that type as a natural successor to the A330s. "The A350 is a great aircraft that allows us to fly more efficiently on long-haul sectors like Los Angeles International, but also works well for services to Australia and New Zealand where competitors fly B737s," he said. "Our larger aircraft proves popular with passengers, especially on those routes."
Viljeon notes that Fiji Airways is a hub-and-spoke carrier with distinct market segments. He says 80% of its passenger traffic is leisure, 15% is visiting family and friends, and 5% is corporate. Currently, 50% of the passenger traffic through Nadi and Suva is transit traffic with "a strong passenger flow between North America and Australia or New Zealand."
Fiji Airways' Australian and New Zealand ports include Adelaide International, Auckland International, Brisbane International, Canberra, Christchurch, Dunedin, Melbourne Tullamarine, Wellington, and Sydney Kingsford Smith. On the other side of the Pacific, the airline serves Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, and Vancouver International.
"Australia and New Zealand make up 65% of the business in terms of revenue and traffic, but the United States makes up the vast majority of our profitability," Viljoen summarised.
"We believe there are still numerous underserved markets that are the perfect fit for our network," he said. "These include cities in Australia like Cairns and Newcastle Williamtown but also other markets like Port Moresby and Pago Pago. Ideally, an open skies agreement between the US and Fiji would open up more market possibilities for Fiji Airways, especially to partner hubs like Dallas/Fort Worth and Seattle Tacoma International. We’re hoping to add a new long-haul destination within the next year. Network growth in North America in 2023 was up 17% in comparison to 2022. We want this to continue."
