THE proposed restoration of the Nadi to Seoul route by Korean Air is not financially viable under the current elevated fuel environment.
Fiji Airways CEO and managing director Paul Scurrah explained that with current figures operating a frequent wide body service between the two countries would not be sustainable.
“Fiji Airways approaches any assessment of new route viability with rigorous commercial discipline,” said Mr Scurrah.
“When direct services to Nadi were previously operated, annual Korean visitor arrivals stood at approximately 6840, a figure that is insufficient to sustain a widebody service operating two to three times per week, particularly in the current elevated fuel environment.
“Based on the most recent available data, showing approximately 1768 Korean visitors in the 12 months to March 2026, Fiji Airways does not consider a widebody service of this frequency to be financially viable at this time.”
On the other hand, Mr Scurrah said Fiji Airways has maintained a strong partnership with its Asia Pacific alliance partners to offer serve the Korean market.
“Fiji Airways continues to work closely with its Asia-Pacific alliance partners, including Cathay Pacific, to provide Korean travellers with convenient onward connections to Fiji via Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.”
He added that Fiji Airways has in the absence of Korean Air since 2019 contributed significantly to growing its connections and traffic flow from markets formerly serviced by the Korean airline.
“While there is potential for incremental benefit, it is important to note that a significant proportion of visitors who previously travelled to Fiji via Korean Air are likely already doing so through alternative gateways.
“Since Korean Air’s departure from the Fiji market in late 2019, Fiji Airways has grown its international seat capacity by more than 37 per cent, adding in excess of 840,000 seats into the market.
“This substantial expansion of capacity means that Fiji Airways has, in large part, absorbed and grown the visitor base during this period. Any new direct service would therefore be unlikely to deliver the level of truly incremental tourism growth that historical Korean Air figures might suggest.”
