The Fijian and Australian governments have agreed to increase passenger and freight capacity for their designated airlines after a meeting in Suva.
The Fijian delegation was led by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary responsible for Civil Aviation Sharvada Sharma, who said that the discussions were conducted in a very open and friendly manner and due to Fiji being a popular holiday destination for Australians and the increased demand for seats between the two countries, Fiji has agreed to an additional entitlement of 500 seats per week for each country, which will provide for an extra 1,000 seats per week in the market.
Sharma says both parties have also agreed to double the freight capacity from 70 to 140 tonnes per week for each country.
Acting Executive Director, Aviation and Airports, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development Stephen Borthwick who led the Australian delegation says the discussions built on the close aviation relationship between Fiji and Australia and will provide additional opportunities for airlines to strengthen business and tourism links between the two countries.
The Executive General Manager, Corporate Affairs for Fiji Airways Shaenaz Voss is pleased with the outcome of the negotiations and stated that Fiji Airways is committed to expanding its network and growing the number of visitors to Fiji.
Both governments have also agreed to update their air services agreement, which was initially signed in 1982, and to hold further discussions on more flexible code sharing arrangements including third party code shares between the two countries.
