National carrier Fiji Airways hosted senior leaders from oneworld and its member airlines in the country last week for the alliance’s first-ever management board meeting held in the country.
“Our airline started 75 years ago as a small operation connecting Fiji to the world and joining oneworld is the next chapter of that story,” Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said.
“Having our oneworld partners here in our home, meeting our employees and standing with us to plant mangroves felt like the right way to mark the occasion.”
Fiji Airways became a full member of oneworld last year.
Mr Scurrah said the partnership meant Fijian travellers could connect on a single ticket into a global airline network spanning six continents, with loyalty benefits, shared lounge access and smoother transfers across the alliance’s member airlines.
“For Fiji, it also cements the airline’s role as the alliance’s gateway into the heart of the South Pacific.”
oneworld chief executive officer Ole Orvér said their meetings with the Fiji Airways team would drive forward their customer-focused projects, “and we are delighted all our members can see firsthand the incredible destinations Fiji Airways brings ton the alliance”.
He acknowledged the traditional welcome ceremony and their participation in the mangrove planting event on the shoreline of Malamala Island.
“From the moment we arrived, the hospitality of the islands has touched every part of our experience, and we are grateful to the Fiji Airways team for such a warm welcome,” Mr Orvér said.
Mr Scurrah said hosting the meeting gave them the change to welcome their global partners the way they welcomed their guests and also showcase the airline’s sustainability efforts in the region.
