Fiji Airways chief executive officer Andre Viljoen says Fiji Airways “has regulatory approved processes and procedures” for carrying dangerous goods, including firearms, and they are “followed strictly in every instance”.
Mr Viljoen was responding to The Fiji Times queries on allegations that bodyguards for former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum were allowed to carry guns on FijiLink domestic flights without approval from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Mr Viljoen declined to comment further on the story “due to the security sensitive nature of the issue”.
“The safety and security of our customers remains our utmost priority,” he said.
Mr Viljoen’s comments came after four failed attempts to obtain comments from Fiji Airways on the allegations.
The Fiji Times had emailed Fiji Airways manager corporate communications Edwin Nand on January 30, February 13, February 17 and February 21 without response.
On Friday, March 3, The Fiji Times editor Fred Wesley wrote to Fiji Airways chairman Rajesh Punja, Mr Viljoen and FijiLink chief executive Shaenaz Voss to ask why the airline had not responded. Mr Viljoen issued the two-paragraph statement through Mr Nand at 4.38pm on March 6.
