Fiji Airways reveals 5 year strategic plan

For the first time ever in the history of Fiji Airways, the company has revealed its five year strategic plan.

During a press conference yesterday, CEO and Managing Director Stefan Pichler said expanding the airline’s route network through key airline partnerships, increasing operating profits and passenger numbers, as well as growing the number of aircraft and available seats are just some of the key focus areas for Fiji Airways within this plan.

He said the airline will increase its fleet size by 25% with the purchase or leasing of four new aircrafts, including one A330-200, two B737-800s and two ATR72-600s, one as a replacement for an ATR 42-500, by 2017.

Pichler said the additional aircraft will support the company’s plans to grow the number of available seats across all markets by more than a third which is 35%, and an increase in passenger numbers by 39% over the next five years.

According to Pichler, proposed capacity increases across the regions include Asia with 144%, Pacific Islands 86.6%, New Zealand 58.9%, Australia 28.4%, Domestic 12.3%, while the current seat availability to the US remains stable at negative 4.7%.

Pichler said the airline will put in place an aggressive financial performance strategy to increase operating profits above FJD$100 million, which has been planned assuming fuel prices and currency exchange rates at the current levels.

He said this was the first time that a strategic plan for the airline was developed which was done together with the management and input from customers, people and stakeholders.