Fiji’s aviation sector recorded stronger passenger and cargo utilisation rates in the March quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to the latest aircraft statistics released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.
The report, which covers regular domestic and international airline operations, showed improvements in both passenger and freight load factors despite some seasonal declines from the previous quarter.
For international flights, airlines utilised 75.2 percent of the total available seat kilometres of 2.83 billion during the March quarter. While this represented a slight decline of 0.4 percentage points from the December 2025 quarter, it was 4.2 percentage points higher than the March quarter of 2025.
The figures indicate that international carriers were able to fill a larger proportion of available seats compared to a year ago, reflecting continued strength in overseas travel demand.
Cargo performance also improved. International flights utilised 55.9 percent of the total available tonne kilometres of 489.8 million during the quarter. This was 0.5 percentage points higher than the December 2025 quarter and 4.2 percentage points above the level recorded in March 2025.
Domestic aviation also posted significant year-on-year gains.
Passenger load factors on domestic routes reached 68.7 percent of available seat kilometres, an increase of 8 percentage points compared with the March quarter of 2025. However, domestic passenger utilisation was down 5.9 percentage points from the December quarter, reflecting softer demand following the peak holiday travel period.
Domestic freight operations recorded a load factor of 68.9 percent, representing an increase of 11.1 percentage points compared with the same quarter last year. Compared to the December 2025 quarter, the figure was down by 3.1 percentage points.
The statistics suggest that while aviation activity experienced the usual seasonal slowdown following the busy end-of-year travel period, both international and domestic airlines continue to carry more passengers and freight than they did a year earlier.
The improved utilisation rates come amid continued growth in visitor arrivals and increasing demand for air connectivity across Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
