V Australia launches Fiji

V Australia confirms Fiji flights

The International Air Services Commission has formally granted V Australia its requested capacity between Australia and Fiji, with the carrier announcing an 18 Dec debut of its new services, as exclusively revealed in Travel Daily on 26 Oct.

The carrier's request to transfer 360 seats of capacity from Pacific Blue has also been approved, meaning V Australia will operate daily services.

The three class product includes food and beverage service and complimentary in-flight entertainment in all cabins, and launch fares lead in at $199 one way in economy, $469 one way in International Premium Economy and $649 in International Business class.

Virgin Blue ceo Brett Godfrey said "We're very pleased to be increasing our capacity and introducing V Australia to and from one of Australia's best loved international destinations".

He said the flights would utilise one of VA's existing 777-300ER aircraft, in lieu of the plane sitting idle on the tarmac at Sydney Airport between trans-Pacific flights, with the move also giving Pacific Blue the opportunity to redirect its aircraft to other new and existing routes.

The service will launch daily but reduce to six days per week from 01 Feb, departing Sydney 8.10am and arriving in Nadi 1.20pm, with the return flights leaving Fiji at 2.55pm and arriving in Sydney at 6.20pm.

Godfrey said the services would also provide convenient connections for passengers from the US coming to Australia and then onwards to Fiji.

More details in today's Travel Daily.