Fiji Airways took the delivery of its newest Airbus A350-900XWB (A350) as part of a journey to modernise the its fleet. The aircraft is nicknames as ‘Island of Beqa’ and it’s the third A350 to join the Fiji Airways fleet.
The airline claims that the new aircraft will add more capacity to Fiji Airways' leading source markets of Australia and New Zealand, as well as increase capacity for long haul flights to San Francisco and Vancouver, and Hong Kong which is the airline's current gateway to China.
Andre Viljoen, managing director and chief executive said: “One of the airline's 5 Game Changer Strategies they have relentlessly pursued since 2017 has been the modernization of its fleet, with 'new generation' aircraft such as the Airbus A350. The A350 with its superior cabin, significant fuel savings and substantial cargo capacity has fast become the pride of our airline and the joy of our passengers.”
"The Island of Beqa is brand new, having been put into storage immediately after manufacturing. We were able to negotiate a lucrative deal to acquire it. It combines the very latest aerodynamics, new generation engines and use of lightweight materials, to bring a 25% advantage in fuel burn, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and operating costs compared to previous generation aircraft,” Viljoen added.
With the new aircraft, the airline will explore newer destinations like Dallas, Seattle, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul and also Noumea, Wallis, Rarotonga, Port Moresby and several additional destinations in Australia as the A350 XWBs are capable of flying much deeper into the United States or Canada.