Fiji Airports has defended an apparent rise in executive and board pay, saying increases reported in its 2024 Annual Report reflect the restoration of leadership capacity after the COVID-19 disruption rather than an unusual jump in salaries. In a statement released today, the state-owned company said headlines based on raw figures had been misleading because they did not explain that 2023 was an atypical year with reduced executive capacity and several senior posts vacant.
“The 2023 period was not a normal operating year. Fiji Airports was still transitioning out of COVID-19 recovery settings, with reduced executive capacity across the organisation,” the statement said, noting the company was led for much of that time by an Acting Chief Executive Officer while the majority of senior leadership roles remained unfilled. That constrained staffing, Fiji Airports said, “naturally resulted in significantly lower remuneration costs than would apply under a fully staffed executive structure.”
The company said the 2024 numbers reflect a return to normal operations. It has appointed a substantive CEO and carried out recruitment across key areas including operations, finance, legal and infrastructure to re-establish a full executive team responsible for managing Fiji’s airports network. “The reported change reflects the transition from a constrained, partially staffed organisation to a properly resourced executive team responsible for managing Fiji’s critical aviation infrastructure,” the statement added.
Fiji Airports rejected suggestions of an abnormal pay rise, saying executive remuneration accounted for about four percent of total staff costs of $23.9 million reported for the year. The enterprise also explained that board remuneration increased in 2024 as membership returned to full strength and board payments were updated for the first time since 2009, in line with government policy.
The defence comes after commentary and reporting that highlighted year-on-year increases in top-level pay. Fiji Airports said the figures published in the Annual Report are accurate but must be read alongside operational context from the previous financial year to be properly understood. The company reiterated its commitment to transparency, pointing to the detailed disclosures in the 2024 Annual Report.
The clarification sits against a broader backdrop of pandemic-related disruption to Fiji’s economy and aviation sector. Government figures and earlier reporting showed revenues and activity plunged during the height of COVID-19, forcing many businesses and state entities to operate with reduced staff and budgets. As tourism and travel recovered, state-owned enterprises such as Fiji Airports have been rebuilding capacity to handle increased passenger volumes and infrastructure demands.
Fiji Airports’ explanation signals that the increases in executive and board pay are part of a wider effort to restore leadership and capability across the organisation rather than an isolated pay decision. With the substantive CEO and a replenished executive team now in place, the company says it is better positioned to manage the country’s airport assets as travel flows continue to recover.
Leave a comment