The Fiji Airways Aviation Academy has achieved annual cost savings of $22.7 million. A key benefit of the Academy is its capacity to perform all essential training in-house. This encompasses initial type ratings, common type ratings, recurrent training, remedial training, and license conversion.
Minister for Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka, shared this information in Parliament when asked about the strategy to enhance the Academy’s capabilities. He noted that by conducting training internally instead of outsourcing to third-party providers, Fiji Airways has avoided significant expenses related to external training centers.
“This approach ensures that every dollar spent on training stays within the company, directly supporting its financial health,” Mr. Gavoka explained. Previously, pilots had to travel to international training sites such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Brisbane, Seattle, and Bangkok, which not only involved training fees but also considerable costs for accommodation and living expenses.
Mr. Gavoka highlighted that with the establishment of the Academy, those costs have been completely eliminated. Pilots can now receive all necessary training locally in Fiji, thereby reducing the financial strain linked to international travel.