Fiji Airways has received the best Max 8 settlement from Boeing in the world – Viljoen

Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO Andre Viljoen confirm that any revenue lost and any costs incurred by the airline company after the grounding of the Boeing Max 8 planes have been settled by Boeing.

Viljoen says Boeing has settled their financial claims and it is widely considered in the industry that Fiji Airways has received the best Max settlement from Boeing in the world.

He says they had robust negotiations on the settlement.

Viljoen says the Max 8s were part of a modernization program as the airline company had 20-year-old 737-800s.

He says these Max 8s were acquired to firstly save a lot of fuel.

Viljoen says the planes are 15 per cent more fuel-efficient but they have also got huge maintenance advantages and efficiencies.

The CEO says regretfully the accidents occurred and the Max 8s were grounded.

Viljoen says they then found themselves with a lot of operating constraints because there were three Max 8s to come and two got grounded. He also says two 20-year-old 737-800s had gone back.

He says they had to use some of their A330s to meet the obligations of their schedules and even for short periods rented planes on a weekly basis with pilots and crew from Malindo Air and Miami Air to keep the schedules going. Viljoen says Boeing Max 8s are still grounded but they are not needed for now.

He confirms Boeing is currently doing training and testing flights, and there is a belief by Boeing that by October they could possibly be certified to fly again.