FIJI Airways is celebrating 75 years of connecting Fiji to the world, marking a journey that began with a seven-seat de Havilland Dragon Rapide flying from Nausori to Drasa, near Lautoka, on September 1, 1951.
Founded by aviation pioneer Harold Gatty, the airline was renamed Air Pacific in 1970 before reclaiming its original name, Fiji Airways, in 2013.
Today, Fiji Airways operates a fleet of 23 aircraft, connects Fiji directly to 37 destinations across 14 countries and provides access to more than 900 destinations through its membership of the oneworld alliance.
The airline carries about 70 per cent of visitors who fly to Fiji and employs more than 2000 people across the group.
Airline managing director and chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said the 75th anniversary was an opportunity to recognise the thousands of Fijians who had contributed to the airline’s growth and the millions of customers who had travelled with Fiji Airways.
“From a seven-seat aircraft flying between two small airstrips to a global oneworld carrier flying to 900-plus destinations, we’re still doing what we set out to do in 1951, connecting Fiji to the people and places that matter most,” Mr Scurrah said.
The airline is marking the anniversary with an eight-day sale from September 1 to 8, offering special fares across selected destinations.
Fiji Airways said the milestone represented more than the anniversary of an airline, but 75 years of journeys, people and Fiji’s connection with the world.
