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Minister for Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka has described the performance of Fiji Airways’ outgoing chief executive as phenomenal.

Gavoka says Fiji will be seeking the best there is to continue the momentum set by Viljoen.

Viljoen will be stepping down from the role later this year to join Air Mauritius in the same role, but he will remain on the Board of Directors for Fiji Airways.

The outgoing chief executive was instrumental in improving Fiji Airways’ SKYTRAX rating to four stars, with its global ranking soaring from 102nd in 2015 to an impressive 14th last year.

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.

The fleet has doubled in size, from 12 aircraft in 2015 to 24, including four new-generation Airbus A350s, widely recognized as among the most modern and fuel-efficient commercial aircraft in the world.

Annual revenue for the national annual revenue has grown significantly, from $815.3 million in 2015 to $1.9 billion last year.

Gavoka says the contribution by Viljoen tells the world that Fiji Airways is among the best in the industry.

He says Fiji will be seeking someone who shares similar drive and passion.

“We will be looking for a replacement locally and globally, and it has to be the best there is. We have put the airline at that level, so we should be attracting the best to run it.”

Vijoen has been with Fiji Airways for over a decade.

Meanwhile, in a significant development, Fiji Airways has dropped to 31st place in the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

This is a steep fall from its 14th place ranking last year.

The national carrier has also slipped to third in the Best Airline in Australia/Pacific category, losing its top spot to Qantas, with Air New Zealand in second.

The Skytrax Awards are a key global benchmark based on passenger satisfaction, and the decline raises concerns about Fiji Airways’ recent performance and service standards.

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