Fiji Airports has confirmed that Nadi International Airport experienced a temporary disruption to runway edge lighting on both runways this afternoon, caused by heavy thunderstorms and intense lightning activity across the Nadi area.
In a statement, Fiji Airports said the lightning strike is believed to have occurred between 2:00pm and 3:00pm.
The issue was later identified during a routine start-of-night inspection at around 7:15pm.
“The technical response team acted swiftly, and full functionality of the runway lighting system was restored by 8:30pm,” Fiji Airports said.
As a precautionary safety measure, a number of inbound flights were diverted in accordance with international aviation safety standards. These included four Fiji Airways services:
FJ950, FJ960 and FJ274, which diverted to Nausori International Airport
FJ910, which diverted to Faleolo International Airport in Samoa
Two departing flights were also affected:
FJ413, initially scheduled to depart at 8:00pm, departed at 8:45pm
FJ915, which was cancelled due to the Sydney curfew
Fiji Airports acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the disruption and offered an apology to affected passengers and their families.
“We understand this may have caused anxiety and inconvenience. The safety of passengers, airline partners, and their crews remains our absolute priority,” the statement said.
Fiji Airports thanked passengers, airlines, and the wider airport community for their patience, cooperation, and understanding during the unforeseen weather-related disruption.
