In its 25th year of existing, aviation alliance Oneworld is ready to welcome its 15th member. Fiji Airways carries the name of its native archipelago in the midst of the Pacific Ocean. The airline set to join industry giants like American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines and more in the upcoming year. Fiji Airways already enjoys Oneworld Connect status since 2018. What was basically a light version will turn into a full-fledged membership within the next 12 months. The news come after the airline stated its intentions to join the alliance earlier this year.
“This is a proud moment for Fiji, as it promises to further boost our tourism sector and support local businesses, contributing to the overall prosperity of our nation.”
Andre Viljoen, CEO of Fiji Airways
Fiji Airways connects its islands to the American, Asian and Australian continent from its hub Nadi International Airport (NAN). The airfield is located on Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, just like the nation’s capital Suva. Almost a million people live in the Republic of Fiji today – with air travel being by far the quickest and most convenient way of transportation to other states.
Because of that, airline and government officials hope to see tourist numbers increase with better connectivity to the island. The only other major airlines serving Nadi are fellow Oneworld member Qantas (from Sydney) and Star Alliance carrier Air New Zealand, with up to three daily departures to Auckland.
Fiji Airways Network
Fiji Airways currently operates just 14 aircraft (4 Airbus A330, 4 Airbus A350 and 6 Boeing 737), which will make it one of the smaller Oneworld members. It offers nonstop flights to Oneworld hubs Sydney, Melbourne (linking to Qantas), Los Angeles (American Airlines), Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific) and Tokyo (Japan Airlines). Here is an overview of all Fiji Airways services to non-Polynesian destinations:
In a stark contrast to most other network carriers, almost none of these flights is operated daily. The only airports mentioned above that see a Fiji Airways plane daily are Auckland, Brisbane, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Sydney. Most other destinations receive three or four weekly flights.
Oneworld Growing in Size
While the airlines’ Oneworld Connect status only allowed for benefits on flights with selected carriers, it will soon recognize frequent flyers benefits across the entire alliance. Oneworld is currently rapidly growing: It announced most new members of all alliances since the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past four years, it has welcomed Alaska Airlines and Royal Air Maroc in its ranks, with Oman Air already standing on the doorstep.
Cover Picture: Gastautor Phillip