Fiji Airways today confirmed the acceptance of return-to-service requirements of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft by its regulator.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji’s acceptance and approval follows that of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia and New Zealand, two of Fiji Airways’ key destinations.

Airline chief executive Andre Viljoen says they’ve worked closely with CAAF, CASA, CAANZ and the US Federal Aviation Authority over the past two years in relation to the safe return of the MAX aircraft.

Viljoen says the past eight months have been spent planning for the aircraft’s eventual re-certification and reviewing all return-to-service requirements from the regulators.

He confirms the Full Flight Simulator at the Fiji Airways Aviation Academy is already being used to bring pilots and technical crew up to speed with all the new and additional requirements.

According to Viljoen the airline will continue to work with the regulators to bring the MAX aircraft into service, albeit for the limited number of freight and repatriation flights we currently operate.

Globally, 18 airlines have already returned the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to service.