Yesterday’s announcement of Fiji Airways becoming Oneworld’s newest full member is going to attract the attention of many in the industry. They know what it means to the airline, and subsequently the impact the connection could have on our nation. Our national airline joins a list of only 15 airlines who are part of Oneworld.
The announcement took place at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Dubai yesterday. Andre Viljoen, managing director of Fiji Airways, when making the announcement, said it was a significant step in the airline’s commitment to providing top service and connectivity. As a full member airline, he said, they would be able to enhance the travel experience for Oneworld alliance frequent flyers, offering greater accessibility to Fiji and the South Pacific, and “ensuring seamless connections and memorable journeys for Fiji Airways customers across the alliance network”.
Full membership opens up more destinations through code sharing, which in turn offers endless possibilities. It means opening Fiji up to visitors in Europe for instance, and more destinations throughout the US. Just last month, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Viliame Gavoka spoke at the Fiji Tourism Exchange (FTE), where he revealed that Fiji was on track to welcome a million visitors to our shores this year.
That, he mentioned, opened up numerous opportunities. He spoke about “our brand message, ‘Where happi.