Fiji Airways announces its ‘Travel Ready’ as Fiji eyes Pacific travel bubble.

18 June 2020 Online Editor

The national airline has put a suite of changes in place to safely welcome customers and staff back to the skies.

Fiji Airways, Fiji’s National Airline, has today outlined its plan to return to flying once border restrictions ease and the demand for travel returns. The Travel Ready programme details the airline’s commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of its customers and staff.

This includes the creation of a new onboard role of medically qualified Customer Wellness Champions. This role will manage and maintain wellbeing, customer medical safety and promote wellness through service interactions to passengers and crew onboard and on the ground for every flight on the Fiji Airways international network.

“Our in-house teams, including our aviation medical advisor Dr. Rounak Lal, have been working closely with health authorities and other stakeholders to get Fiji Airways Travel Ready. Fiji continues its success in the fight against COVID-19 with zero new cases reported since 20 April,” said Mr. Andre Viljoen, Fiji Airways Managing Director & CEO.

“Like many nations in the Pacific, tourism is an integral part of the Fijian economy and COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the industry. As the national carrier for Fiji, we are committed to getting back in the skies as safely as possible and cannot wait to greet customers with our famous Fijian hospitality.”

Some of the measures and advice for international customers are as follows:

Before Flying:

Customers holding credits will easily be able to utilise these for future flights on Fiji Airways – right up till 31 December 2021. Bookings using held credits can be done through the Reservations Centre, and shortly be available via Manage Your Bookings on the website.
Spaced out seating and entry limits will apply at all Fiji Airways Sales Offices.
Customers are advised to familiarise themselves with up-to-date information about the entry requirements for their destinations by visiting the Travel Ready hub on the Fiji Airways website.
Customers feeling unwell on their day of travel are strongly advised to not travel, and to rebook travel to a different day. Unwell customers may be denied boarding at the airport.
All Fiji Airways and Fiji Link aircraft undergo enhanced deep cleaning daily, which includes ‘fogging’ and wiping all surfaces with specifically approved disinfectants, which are effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms.

At the Airport:

Customers can expect enhanced health screenings, including temperature checks.
Customers will be asked to ensure they have their facemask available at check in.
Physical distancing and spaced out counters will be practiced throughout most airports, and hand sanitisers will be available for use.
All checked-in bags will be sanitised before being loaded onto the aircraft.
Boarding will be done by seat-rows (starting from the rear of the aircraft for Fiji Airways and front of the aircraft for Fiji Link), to reduce contact between customers.

At the Lounge:

Physical distancing and spaced-out seating will be practiced through the Fiji Airways Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport, and hand sanitiser will be readily available for use.
All dining will be offered Ala Carte.
Other measures will be implemented, including a booking system for use of shower facilities.

Onboard:

The in-cabin air in all jet aircraft is filtered and recirculated through extremely efficient HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestors) filters. On average, the in-cabin air completely changes every 3 minutes. This is a much higher rate of flow than what people experience in other indoor environments.
Mandatory wearing of facemasks for all travel on both Fiji Airways and Fiji Link once flights recommence. All customers must keep their masks on where practical throughout their journey, except small children and those unable to do so.
Lavatories onboard will be sanitised more frequently inflight, and high-touch surfaces will be sanitised after every flight.
Business class customers will continue to enjoy three-course meals, now delivered on a single tray.
A simplified meal service for Economy Class will be delivered in special ‘Food for Thought’ packaging, which reduces contact between customers and crew. This eco-friendly packaging is safe for disposal, and will save up to half a million litres of water a year and remove up to two tonnes of plastics annually from onboard.
Magazines and newspapers will not be available onboard. Customers will receive sanitised headsets in sealed packs.
Business Class amenity kits will include specially designed facemasks, along with hand gloves and hygiene packs.
In addition to the introduction of medically qualified Customer Wellness Champions, cabin crew and pilots will be trained specifically for flight operations in a COVID-19 travel world, including handling medical issues onboard.

The Fiji Airways team has reviewed all interaction points across the customer journey and taken guidance from the World Health Organisation, IATA and ICAC, the safety of guests and staff is paramount.

The airline will remain flexible with measures to ensure all relevant restrictions and regulations are followed and complied with for the countries operated in. One crucial factor that will be enforced, but as yet remains unknown, is the entry restrictions or requirements for Fiji and other destinations on the airline’s network. Given the expected ‘fluid’ nature of COVID-19-related border requirements – including possible quarantine upon arrival – all customers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with what to expect prior to travel through the Travel Ready hub.

Fiji Airways will await approval from authorities in Fiji and its key international markets before announcing international flight schedules. At present time, international flights remain cancelled through the end of July 2020.

For more information please visit https://www.fijiairways.com/en-nz/

ENDS