The Vanuatu Tourism Office welcomes Fiji Airways’ Return to Vanuatu 

Friday, 08th July 2022, Port-Vila, Vanuatu: The Vanuatu Tourism Office welcomes the return of Fiji Airways to Vanuatu, as it resumes its first international passengers’ flight between Port-Vila and Nadi, starting Monday, 04th July 2022.

Fiji Airways currently offers two (2) flights a week on Mondays and Saturdays between the two cities, with domestic connections in Fiji and other long-haul connecting flights.

“This is great news for Vanuatu as we see more and more regional airlines returning to our shores, thus allowing frequencies and capacities for our long-awaited returning international travelers to and from Vanuatu.” Says Mrs. Adela Issachar Aru, Chief Executive Officer of the Vanuatu Tourism Office.

“Fiji Airways offers another vital link for our long-haul markets of North America, Europe and Asia, connecting with seamless domestic flights on these two days in Vanuatu “she continued.

Fiji Airways arrives at 1:00pm on Mondays and Saturdays, and passengers are able to connect on Air Vanuatu’s domestic flight to Santo at 2:00pm on Mondays and 4:05pm on Saturdays. Overnight in Port-Vila will be needed for other domestic ports at this time. The airline currently operates an ATR72 aircraft to Vanuatu, with a maximum seat capacity of 68 seats – 8 business class and 60 economy seats.

Fiji Airways has great plans to include Vanuatu in its Holidays deals platform, which Vanuatu is set to benefit from its vast sales distribution channel worldwide.

Ms. Cassandra Mar, Fiji Airways’ Business Development Manager, Tourism Partnership under Fiji Airways Holidays, was amongst the first passengers on the inaugural flight. She is currently on a familiarization trip in Vanuatu, to meet with a number of tourism businesses covering properties and activities and sourcing business opportunities for the re-development of Fiji Airways partnership with Vanuatu.  

[From left to right: Ms. Cassandra Mar, FJ Business Development Manager and Mr. Paul Pio, VTO’s Short-Haul Markets Manager at the Port-Vila International Airport.]

Fiji Airways Holidays plays a key role in putting together holiday packages to promote selected destinations and the airline’s expansion plan is to incorporate the Pacific region and to promote other countries that are opening up post-COVID. 

In 2019 alone, Fiji Airways uplifted over 38,000 passengers from Fiji to Vanuatu.

“We know that there are many people from Vanuatu who have been eager to return home. Many of them have not seen their families for over two years, and so these links to Pacific Island countries are very important. Returning to Vanuatu also means that Fiji Airways is reconnecting them to the rest of the world”, said Mr Viljoen, Chief Executive Officer at Fiji Airways.

The Vanuatu Tourism Office also welcomes Fiji Airways’ announcement this week, starting a Nadi-Vancouver (Canada) in November 2022, with two direct flights a week operated by the airline’s Airbus A350 with a maximum capacity of 334 seats. The new route offers another exciting opportunity for our Canadian travelers looking to explore the South Pacific, including Vanuatu.