CHRISTIANS who journeyed on the pilgrimage trip to Israel in 2023 still owe Fiji Airways more than $2million.
Trip co-ordinator Michael Mausio, whose company WABS Pacific Pte Ltd organised the commercial flight with the airline on behalf of his clients, confirmed the pilgrims owe $2million plus interest.
As a result, his company will now sue passengers who have failed to pay their airfares.
“We have been informed of the legal matter, and in fact, legal proceedings have already been underway for the past few months. Our next course of action is simply to follow the legal process through to completion,” he said.
“We are only able to pay our supplier if our clients pay us. Given that Fiji Airways is pursuing legal action against us as charterers and guarantors, it is only natural that we, too, pursue legal recourse against our clients to recover the amounts owed.
“There is no secret that this charter flight has become a topic of public interest involving our national carrier.”
But he maintained his company’s relationship with Fiji Airways is one they’ve always valued over the years.
“We have worked with the airline previously on a number of other chargers without issue and delay and have a cordial working relationship,” he said.
“It is important to highlight that the repatriation flight was publicly presented as being coordinated by Government together with Fiji Airways and even published on the Government’s Foreign Affairs website.
“That flight not only brought back other Fijian nationals stuck in Israel, but also family members of Fiji Airways crew who were struck in Israel at the time.”
While Government took the public credit with a display of welcome at Nadi International Airport, Mr Mausio said when it came to covering the costs, the responsibility was shifted back to the charterers when they had legally lost control of the flight, which at that time was in the hands of both Government and Fiji Airways (return trip from Israel).