Wirraway
16th Jun 2004, 02:09
AP
Pacific Blue wins approval to fly into Fiji
2004/6/16
SUVA, Fiji, AP
The Fiji government gave approval Wednesday for Australian-based budget airline Pacific Blue to launch flights to this South Pacific tourist destination.
Pacific Blue, a subsidiary of Australian budget carrier Virgin Blue, plans to operate three flights per week from both Brisbane and Melbourne to Fiji starting in September, and flights to Sydney starting in September 2005, Transportation Minister Josefa Vosanibola said.
Vosanibola said the flights had the full support of the Tourism Ministry, Fiji Visitors' Bureau and the Fiji Hotel Association.
"They feel that tourism will grow and a low-cost carrier's entry will tap into the low-budget traveling market, thus benefiting the local tourism industry," he said in a statement.
Services between Fiji and Australia currently are monopolized by Fiji's national carrier Air Pacific, which is 51 percent owned by the government and 46 percent by Quantas, Australia's national carrier.
In April, Air Pacific announced fare cuts averaging 30 percent from May 1 for its Australia and New Zealand flights in response to low-cost competition from two New Zealand airlines and impending competition from Pacific Blue.
Fiji hosted a record 430,800 tourists in 2003. Latest figures show that visitor arrivals in the first three
============================================
Wed "The Australian"
Fare war starts over Vanuatu
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 16, 2004
THE airfare battle over the Pacific entered another phase yesterday as Pacific Blue announced new services to Vanuatu from Brisbane and Melbourne with launch fares as low as $199.
Pacific Blue will offer weekly flights from both state capitals and becomes the only carrier to offer direct service from Melbourne.
Air Vanuatu had served Melbourne in the past using older 737s, but pulled out because it faced a weight penalty not suffered by newer planes.
Pacific Blue's launch fares of $249 from Melbourne and $199 from Brisbane are on sale until Sunday. They will be replaced by an everyday lead-in fare of $229 from Brisbane and $299 from Melbourne.
But the airline has decided not to launch a service from Sydney at this stage, saying it was opting for Australian destinations that provided "true value and competition".
Instead, it will offer connections to Brisbane.
The Australian carrier is also expected to release cheap fares to Fiji this week.
Meanwhile, Tonga has appointed a liquidator for its flag carrier, Royal Tongan Airlines, which collapsed in April.
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Tues "The Australian"
Fiji airline joins air fares war
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 15, 2004
FIJI package holiday prices could fall by as much as 30 per cent after Air Pacific launched a new range of deep discount fares yesterday in a pre-emptive strike against Pacific Blue.
Fiji-based Air Pacific will offer year-round discounts of at least 50 per cent on economy fares from Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne to Fiji. Business class fares have been reduced by up to 20 per cent.
The move comes as Pacific Blue, the New Zealand-based subsidiary of Virgin Blue, is poised to release its own cheap airfares to Fiji, subject to approval this week by the Fijian Government.
Air Pacific's new "Bulla" economy return fares to Nadi will be $500 from Brisbane, $600 from Sydney and $650 from Melbourne and Canberra.
The Fijian airline operates 23 flights a week to Australia using a combination of 458-seat Boeing 747-400, 252-seat Boeing 767-300 and 737 aircraft.
The new fares, on sale from today for travel from July 15, can be combined with land packages and have no minimum or maximum stay requirements.
Air Pacific regional general manager Victor Sharan said the lower air fare component should reduce the cost of package holidays by up to 30 per cent.
"And it will not only be on a seasonal basis, it will be on an all-year-round basis," Mr Sharan said. "These fares will also be available in the school holidays."
Pacific Blue plans to start flights in September and is promising stiff competition for Air Pacific, which is majority held by the Fijian Government and part-owned by Qantas.
==========================================
Pacific Blue wins approval to fly into Fiji
2004/6/16
SUVA, Fiji, AP
The Fiji government gave approval Wednesday for Australian-based budget airline Pacific Blue to launch flights to this South Pacific tourist destination.
Pacific Blue, a subsidiary of Australian budget carrier Virgin Blue, plans to operate three flights per week from both Brisbane and Melbourne to Fiji starting in September, and flights to Sydney starting in September 2005, Transportation Minister Josefa Vosanibola said.
Vosanibola said the flights had the full support of the Tourism Ministry, Fiji Visitors' Bureau and the Fiji Hotel Association.
"They feel that tourism will grow and a low-cost carrier's entry will tap into the low-budget traveling market, thus benefiting the local tourism industry," he said in a statement.
Services between Fiji and Australia currently are monopolized by Fiji's national carrier Air Pacific, which is 51 percent owned by the government and 46 percent by Quantas, Australia's national carrier.
In April, Air Pacific announced fare cuts averaging 30 percent from May 1 for its Australia and New Zealand flights in response to low-cost competition from two New Zealand airlines and impending competition from Pacific Blue.
Fiji hosted a record 430,800 tourists in 2003. Latest figures show that visitor arrivals in the first three
============================================
Wed "The Australian"
Fare war starts over Vanuatu
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 16, 2004
THE airfare battle over the Pacific entered another phase yesterday as Pacific Blue announced new services to Vanuatu from Brisbane and Melbourne with launch fares as low as $199.
Pacific Blue will offer weekly flights from both state capitals and becomes the only carrier to offer direct service from Melbourne.
Air Vanuatu had served Melbourne in the past using older 737s, but pulled out because it faced a weight penalty not suffered by newer planes.
Pacific Blue's launch fares of $249 from Melbourne and $199 from Brisbane are on sale until Sunday. They will be replaced by an everyday lead-in fare of $229 from Brisbane and $299 from Melbourne.
But the airline has decided not to launch a service from Sydney at this stage, saying it was opting for Australian destinations that provided "true value and competition".
Instead, it will offer connections to Brisbane.
The Australian carrier is also expected to release cheap fares to Fiji this week.
Meanwhile, Tonga has appointed a liquidator for its flag carrier, Royal Tongan Airlines, which collapsed in April.
=========================================
Tues "The Australian"
Fiji airline joins air fares war
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 15, 2004
FIJI package holiday prices could fall by as much as 30 per cent after Air Pacific launched a new range of deep discount fares yesterday in a pre-emptive strike against Pacific Blue.
Fiji-based Air Pacific will offer year-round discounts of at least 50 per cent on economy fares from Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne to Fiji. Business class fares have been reduced by up to 20 per cent.
The move comes as Pacific Blue, the New Zealand-based subsidiary of Virgin Blue, is poised to release its own cheap airfares to Fiji, subject to approval this week by the Fijian Government.
Air Pacific's new "Bulla" economy return fares to Nadi will be $500 from Brisbane, $600 from Sydney and $650 from Melbourne and Canberra.
The Fijian airline operates 23 flights a week to Australia using a combination of 458-seat Boeing 747-400, 252-seat Boeing 767-300 and 737 aircraft.
The new fares, on sale from today for travel from July 15, can be combined with land packages and have no minimum or maximum stay requirements.
Air Pacific regional general manager Victor Sharan said the lower air fare component should reduce the cost of package holidays by up to 30 per cent.
"And it will not only be on a seasonal basis, it will be on an all-year-round basis," Mr Sharan said. "These fares will also be available in the school holidays."
Pacific Blue plans to start flights in September and is promising stiff competition for Air Pacific, which is majority held by the Fijian Government and part-owned by Qantas.
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