Fiji Jet Charter Flights Banned Despite Official Approval

Is it a matter of safety, lack of customers or an all out price war between Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Airwork and Flight Centre?

No matter what the cause, the consumers will be the ones to suffer. The plan had been set to advertise and run super cheap charter flights from Fiji to New Zealand through the travel agency called Flight Centre. They thought it was a good idea for their customers, so last year they partnered with Airwork to start making cheap jet charter flights available with a leased Boeing 737. The Fijian Government dragged its feet for more than a year for final approval to be granted. Now that the decision has been made by the Fijian Government, there are still no cheap air charters to be found.

Why? Once Air New Zealand got wind of the plan (as well as Air Pacific), they discounted their tickets dramatically in order to keep their customers happy. They realized they had a good thing going, and they didn’t want to lose their loyal customer base over money. In fact, Air New Zealand was so aggressive in their approach, they activated their budget carrier called Freedom, and began to institute the Fijian routes originally planned for Flight Centre/Airwork months ago.

Despite the year delay in getting approval from the Fijian Government, the approval was finally given in March (2004). Why then aren’t the consumers being offered the original Flight Centre-Airwork discounted jet charter plan?

“Flight Centre has no immediate plans to resuscitate its scheme,” says company spokeswoman Clare Naden. “Airwork has not approached Flight Centre since it received approval last month to fly to Fiji.”

Meanwhile Airwork says the Boeing 737 is currently being leased and flown through the Pacific region, and therefore is unavailable to begin Fiji charter travel business. Since flights between New Zealand and Fiji are operated exclusively by Air New Zealand and Air Pacific, the fact that their joint venture is 51 percent owned by the Fijian Government and 36 percent by Qantas Airways smells a bit fishy; the end result is the consumer loses with no cheap jet charter flights.