The credit bill for the owners of Air Fiji Limited is increasing as the Transport Workers Union has put in their demand today in attempts to ensure the former 170 workers are paid their dues.

As preparations get underway to shut down Air Fiji permanently, the Tuvalu government is now awaiting the sale of all their assets and hope to be able to pay off their creditors, with an amount in excess of $10 million.

Air Fiji also owes the National Bank of Tuvalu $700,000, Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority $679,000, the Fiji National Provident Fund $350,000 and R. Patel Lawyers $65,000.

And now, in a letter addressed to the Tuvalu Transport Minister Taukelina Finakaso, the Transport Workers Union demands payments for the 170 workers for all outstanding wages, salaries and other benefits, a redundancy package calculated on 4 weeks pay plus 6 months pay based on basic salary and allowances.

However, the hope of receiving some financial relief ahead of Christmas for the former Air Fiji staff is fading away as the owners of the airline company have no money to pay them.

Finakaso said while they sympathise with the former workers, there is no much they can do at this stage.