FIJI Airways spent $76 million on its aviation academy in 2024, with international airlines including Qantas using the facility to train their pilots, a development the airline says reflects confidence in the standards of its training programs.
Fiji Airways board chairperson Nalin Patel revealed this while presenting the airline’s 2024 annual report to the Standing Committee on Social Affairs.
He said the academy had strengthened the airline’s ability to train its own pilots locally, reducing the need to send them overseas for simulator training.
“Previously we used to send our pilots all over the world to be trained on the simulations and all that,” Mr Patel said.
“Now we have got A350, A330, 737 max and the ATRs and also twin auto’s and all that, so, all our trainings are done internally.”
He said the facility was also attracting pilots from major international airlines, including Qantas, which had acquired the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft for its planned long-haul Project Sunrise services between Sydney and destinations such as New York and London.
Mr Patel said some Qantas pilots were trained at the Fiji Airways Academy because of the shared technology between the airline’s Airbus A350-900 aircraft and Qantas’ larger A350-1000 fleet.
“So that’s a big sign of approval where some of the best airlines are sending their pilot to our facility here, so it’s a great credit to the Academy and the people who are running the Academy in terms of the standard.”
He said Airbus and ATR simulator equipment was installed during 2024, marking a significant milestone in the academy’s development.
The investment formed part of Fiji Airways’ wider expansion program during the year, which also included the acquisition of two new leased ATR 72 aircraft.
Mr Patel said the airline retained its ATR 42 aircraft, bringing its fleet to four ATR 72s and one ATR 42.
The aircrafts supported domestic services and regional connections, helping Fiji Airways increase flight frequency to Pacific island nations and connect them with international destinations.
