Fiji Airways Gets 5-Stars for COVID-19 Safety!

Fiji Airways has been awarded with SKYTRAX’s 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating, which assures of stringent flyer safety during travel in these times – a true feat indeed.

In these times of spiking COVID numbers and restricted travel, there are few bright spots that can make the traveller in us sit up and smile. But … this is one of those moments, for sure. Fiji Airways has been certified with the world’s highest-level 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by SKYTRAX. At the time of writing, this marks Fiji Airways one of just six airlines worldwide to currently achieve this top recognition. The SKYTRAX COVID-19 Airline Safety Accreditation is regarded as a global benchmark for evaluating COVID-19 safe travel.

The COVID-19 Safety Audit was conducted in March/ April 2021; during which time Fiji Airways has been operating repatriation flights to Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. The airport standards’ analysis is based on Nadi International Airport, the home base airport of Fiji Airways. Then, the COVID-19 Safety Rating covers all safety and hygiene protocols introduced by Fiji Airways during COVID-19 to enhance customer and staff safety. This includes all core safety values in the airport and the lounge, along with onboard environment such as social distancing organisation and control, enhanced cleaning and hygiene materials and systems, modified food and beverage service, contactless service options at key touchpoints. Since Fiji Airways Group brings in 64% of all visitors who fly to Fiji, this is a vital move on the airline’s part.

Bringing world-class COVID-safe measures to South Pacific

Fiji Airways’ MD and CEO Andre Viljoen said, “We are beyond ecstatic and honoured to receive the SKYTRAX 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating. The fact that Fiji Airways is only the sixth airline in the world, and the first airline from the region, to receive this accolade speaks volumes about our unrelenting commitment to the health and medical safety of our customers and staff. We are proud to set standards in our part of the world for COVID-19 air travel; standards drawn up in partnership with in-house and external medical safety advisors like the Fijian Ministry of Health and other partners.”

Mr. Viljoen added, “SKYTRAX’s extremely rigorous assessment system independently evaluated over 190 protocols in place for COVID safety, and to score perfectly across these is a remarkable achievement by an airline of our size. It places us in the same category as our oneworld partners Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways, as well as Oman Air, Air Baltic and ANA All Nippon Airways. The credit for this achievement goes to our entire Fiji Airways team who diligently maintain these COVID safety standards and protocols flight after flight.” Viljoen continued, “We continuously enhance our Travel Ready programme as the science evolves, so customers can fly assured that we have their safety and wellbeing as our highest priority. We look forward to resuming scheduled commercial flights as soon as border restrictions ease.”

Fiji Airways: COVID-safe and Travel Ready!

In 2020, Fiji Airways established its Travel Ready programme to safeguard its customers and staff’s health, wellbeing and medical safety. It’s a quite an impressive daily list, considering that it covers more than 1,200 health and safety actions and checkpoints. A well-publicised part of the Travel Ready programme was the introduction of medically-qualified Customer Wellness Champions to look after flyers’ on-ground and onboard wellbeing.

Edward Plaisted, the CEO of SKYTRAX, said, “Fiji Airways has developed a very comprehensive COVID-19 safety programme and their attention to detail is a key factor in achieving this highest COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating. Fiji Airways have created robust systems and procedures, supplemented by their Customer Wellness Champions. Whilst COVID safety is at the forefront of priorities, it is pleasing to see that all aspects of the outstanding Fijian hospitality are very much a part of this.”

Established in 1989, SKYTRAX is the international air transport rating organisation based out of London, UK. SKYTRAX launched the COVID-19 Safety Ratings covering airports across the world, providing independent, expert evaluation and certification of airport COVID-19 hygiene and safety measures in 2020. The SKYTRAX COVID-19 Safety Accreditation is regarded as a global benchmark for defining safe travel assurance for customers.

Check out our other blogs on COVID safety and preparation in the South Pacific – there are so many resorts and hotels which are doubling down on COVID-19 safety measures. As responsible travel specialists, it’s a particular point of pride for Hideaway Holidays to collect and bring all noteworthy travel developments to one place where you can peruse them at ease!