Fiji Airways receives the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating

20 April 2021 – Fiji Airways has been Certified with the highest level 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating, becoming 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. Airport standards analysis is based on Nadi International Airport, the home base airport of Fiji Airways. 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, lounge and onboard environment, such as social distancing organisation and control, enhanced cleaning and hygiene materials and systems, adapted food and beverage service, contactless service options at key touchpoints.

Fiji Airways Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Andre Viljoen said: “We are beyond ecstatic and honoured to receive the SKYTRAX 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating, the highest possible rating from the world’s leading, independent aviation ratings and audit organisation. The fact that Fiji Airways is only the sixth airline in the world and the first airline from the region, including Australia and New Zealand, 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. Credit for this first ever 5-Star Rating goes to our entire Fiji Airways team who diligently maintain these COVID safety standards and protocols flight after flight. 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 established its Travel Ready programme in 2020, to safeguard the health, wellbeing and medical safety of customers and staff, and covers more than 1,200 health and safety actions. A part of the programme was the introduction of medically-qualified Customer Wellness Champions to look after customers’ wellbeing on the ground and onboard.

Edward Plaisted of SKYTRAX said: “Fiji Airways have developed a very rigorous and comprehensive COVID-19 safety programme branded as Travel Ready, and their attention to detail is a key factor in achieving this highest COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating. Covid safe air travel must ensure there are no weak links in the travel chain, and Fiji Airways have created systems and procedures that are robust at every point of the customer’s journey, and this is well supplemented with their use of 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.”

Source : Fiji Airways, 23rd April 2021