Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has informed the Chinese Government that Fiji cannot agree to China proposing an agreement that would have the effect of steering business away from Fiji Airways.
Bainimarama made this point while holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In a Memorandum of Understanding presented to Fiji earlier this month, the Chinese Government proposed to originate flights from anywhere in China to Nadi, and also added a provision allowing Chinese airlines to make at least three intermediate stops along the way, as well as points beyond.
Bainimarama says China’s huge passenger capacity and its ability to undercut the fares of Fiji Airways would lure fliers away from Fiji Airways and cause a negative effect on the airline.
He says Fiji Airways currently flies the Nadi to Hong Kong route, three times a week.
He adds the airline has made substantial investments in the route to make it viable from a business perspective.
Bainimarama says he would rather implement the existing Air Services Agreement between Fiji and China that would open a Nadi‑Beijing route for both countries with a code sharing arrangement.
