12 Mar 2004

Fiji minister says Air Pacific not worried about competition

4:27 pm on 12 March 2004

Fiji's civil aviation minister, Josefa Vosanibola, has brushed aside concern for national airline, Air Pacific, as an airfare war looms in the South Pacific.

The Fiji Times quotes Mr Vasanibola as saying Air Pacific has strategies in place to deal with competition.

The comments come as the Fiji cabinet approved a fourth carrier, Airworks, to operate charter flights between New Zealand and Fiji.

The route is already served by Air Pacific and Freedom Air, with a budget airline, Virgin Pacific, expected to enter later this year.

Mr Vosanibola says stakeholders have not objected to the new entrants, and shows the level of confidence investors have in the Fiji economy.