Fiji Airways
| File:Airpacific1.gif | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1951 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Nadi International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Qantas Frequent Flyer American Airlines AAdvantage | ||||||
| Fleet size | 6 | ||||||
| Destinations | 18 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Nadi, Fiji | ||||||
| Key people | John Campbell (Managing Director and CEO) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.airpacific.com | ||||||
Air Pacific is an airline based in Nadi, Fiji. It is Fiji's international airline and operates services to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, USA, Tonga and Samoa. Its main base is Nadi International Airport[1].
History
The airline was established and started operations in 1951. It was founded by Australian aviator Harold Gatty. Prior to 1971 the company operated as Fiji Airways. Air Pacific began service to the USA in 1983. Except for 2001, the airline has been profitable for every year from 1995 to 2004. Over 500,000 passengers were carried in 2004. The airline was responsible for starting the first ever scheduled international services to the capital of Australia, Canberra. While the service operated twice weekly for a number of months it is now suspended. [citation needed]
Air Pacific is owned by the Fiji Government (51%), Qantas (46.3%), Air New Zealand (3.67%) and the governments of Kiribati, Tonga, Nauru and Samoa (1%). It employs 754 people (at March 2007)[1].
Destinations
See full article: Air Pacific Destinations
Fleet
The Air Pacific fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007):
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATR-42 | 2 | 44 | Intra-Fijian routes | Operated by Pacific Sun |
| Britten-Norman Islander | 3 | 9 | Intra-Fijian routes | Operated by by Pacific Sun |
| Boeing 737-700 | 1 | 112 (12/100) | Pacific Islands, New Zealand | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 2 | 162 (8/154) | Vancouver/Honolulu, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands | |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 1 | 256 (18/238) | Tokyo, Melbourne, Brisbane | Replacement Aircraft Boeing 787-9 |
| Boeing 747-400 | 2 | 458 (28/430) | Los Angeles, Sydney, Auckland | Leased from Singapore Airlines Replacement Aircraft Boeing 787-9 |
| Boeing 787-9 | 0 (5 orders) | For delivery in 2011 | ||
| DHC-6 | 3 | 14 | Intra-Fijian routes | Operated by Pacific Sun |
| TOTALS: | 14 (5 Orders) |
Air Pacific have purchased 2 ATR-42 from Air Mauritius. They are used mostly on some domestic and regional routes (eg. to Vanuatu, Tonga) starting service December 2006 under the Air Pacific name "Pacific Sun". Pilots from Air New Zealand's subsidiary Mount Cook Airline have been hired by Air Pacific to operate the two ATRs until local pilots have been trained. [citation needed]
Controversies
Air Pacific was forced to apologise after a Fijian soldier urinated on a young female Japanese passenger on a flight from Japan to Fiji. Air Pacific cabin crew provided the woman a change of clothes from the duty free selection, as well as towels and disinfectant soap. [2]
Trivia
- The longest scheduled nonstop Boeing 737 flight is on Air Pacific: Honolulu - Fiji, with a distance of 3162 miles and a travel time of 6h 30m. This flight then continues onto Vancouver.
- Was the airline of choice for the Animaniacs episode "Plane Pals" in their 1st Season.
External links
References
- ^ a b Flight International 27 March 2007
- ^ In flight urination scandal