Fiji Airways Managing Director and Chief Executive Andre Viljoen will be stepping down from his role later this year.

The National Airline confirmed this in a statement this afternoon.

It says Viljoen has accepted the position of Chief Executive at Air Mauritius.

Board Chair Nalin Patel expressed gratitude for Viljoen’s contribution to the company saying over the past 10 years under his leadership, Fiji Airways has undergone a remarkable transformation.

He says the airline’s SKYTRAX Rating improved to four Stars, with its global ranking soaring from 102nd in 2015 to an impressive 14th last year.

Patel adds that Fiji Airways was awarded ‘Best Airline in Australia/Pacific’ for two consecutive years and earned the APEX 5 Star Major Airline rating for three years running.

He says the fleet has doubled in size, from 12 aircraft in 2015 to 24, including four new generation Airbus A350s, widely recognised as among the most modern and fuelefficient commercial aircraft in the world.

The Board Chair adds that annual revenue has grown significantly, from $815.3 million in 2015 to $ 1.9 billion last year.

Patel says among his many accomplishments, Viljoen also led the development of Fiji Airways worldclass Aviation Academy, now home to four state-of-the-art full-flight simulators.

He says this initiative has not only enhanced cost efficiency but also raised the standard of pilot training by supporting more Fijians to become captains and attracting major third-party clients such as Air Tahiti, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas.

Patel also acknowledges Viljoen’s visionary ‘Future-Fit Ready Strategy’ during COVID-19 which ensured the airline’s survival and rapid recovery once borders reopened.

Fiji Airways at the time operated 523 repatriation flights and transported 17,825 tons of freight when other airlines ceased operations.

Meanwhile, Patel has also confirmed that Viljoen will remain on the Board of Directors after his transition.

He says there is no conflict of interest, as Fiji Airways and Air Mauritius serve different markets.

An extensive search will be conducted to identify the most suitable candidate for the MD CEO role.

The position will be advertised internally, nationally, and internationally.

Patel says all candidates who meet the clearly defined criteria outlined in the upcoming advertisement and job description will be considered.

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