Air Fiji in trouble

[The_Pharoah]

For those that care....

Airline in deep dive

Monday, February 16, 2009

AIR Fiji is facing financial problems, which has led to a lot of operational problems, a senior Tuvalu Government source has confirmed.
The senior Tuvalu official said his government bailed out the company by lending $0.5million for fuel purchasing late last year and was not in a position to be able to do so again this year.
"The company is in deep financial problems, we have no money to buy spare parts and so on," the source said. "But Tuvalu is not going to give up yet on the company."
Tuvalu and Chinese company, Chactic, own more than 80 per cent shares in the airline.
Last year, the company had to ground its operations as it had reached its credit limit with fuel company, Air BP. The Tuvalu National Bank was brought in to bail the company out through the loan.
Efforts to get comments from Air Fiji management was futile.

From the fijitimes website.

if an airline can't even pay for fuel...that highlights SIGNIFICANT c/flow problems. no fuel, no fly! :=

[RampDog]

Just out of interest, Air Pacific last Sunday operated (at short notice) a chartered QF B763 in place of its usual B744. We were told the FJI a/c was u/s, and we loaded the 76 with an AKE (LD3) full of a/c spares. They must have broken open their piggy bank, or were we just being good neighbours?:=

[empacher48]

You'll find that Air Pacific and Air Fiji are two different companies.

Air Pacific is doing reasonably well, and by the sounds of it their domestic arm Pacific Sun is doing well too.

I did see a picture somewhere of an Air Fiji trislander sitting without engines, I didn't actually realise they had one?

[RampDog]

Sorry 'bout that Chief, as Agent 86 would say!
We get a bit lazy with details sometimes - very rarely call FJ Air Pacific, its usually - "here comes the FJ" or "Fiji's just lobbed":eek:

[basementjaxx]

Air Fiji does have aTrislander, its currently in their Hangar in Suva being "done up" - they're looking to sell it off. Apparently they could us the money. :ouch:

Seems like some of their guys are moving west to Pacific Sun.

And to top it off their CEO is currently facing court for abuse of office whilst in his previous employment.

When it rains...

BJ

[empacher48]

Ouch, sounds painful for the poor guys.

Any truth to the rumour that Pacific Sun are getting another ATR soon?

[basementjaxx]

Heard that Pacific Sun are looking to get another ATR - could be a 72. No date yet...

BJ

[coconut99]

Word has spread that the Chinese gambled some more cash into air fiji so they can gule and tape three y12s together to return to service. Or, maybe so they can fly them back to China for so called 'heavy maintenance' like the M4's. :hmm:

Hows Pacific Sun doing these days? Boys back home tell me that the horse whippers driving the ATR have no way of getting into big brother Air Pathetic. Dead end job anyone? When are they going to replace the other museum pieces from the sunflower times?

coco

[empacher48]

Boys back home tell me that the horse whippers driving the ATR have no way of getting into big brother Air Pathetic. Dead end job anyone?

That is a problem not only contained to Fiji, ask the guys flying Dash 8's for Qantaslink in Australia, how many of them are going into Qantas mainline? I believe there was a period in NZ when Air NZ weren't employing from the Link carriers either.

[The_Pharoah]

I just don't understand the logic!!! on the one hand, you have the Air Pac CEO stating 'we need more pilots' and yet the main talent pool of local pilots (cheaper rates in theory than hiring contractors), which is flying for their sub, doesn't get a look-in!! :ugh:

Same thing with Qantas....I mean c'mon....if Black & White Taxi's had a bus fleet and needed drivers...the logical thing would be to 'upgrade' taxi drivers to the bigger vehicles.