Fiji Airways reported in its 2023 annual report that it employed 2,051 people, with total payroll amounting to $130 million. The report, recently presented to Parliament, revealed that 60 percent of employees are Fijian pilots, while over 90 percent of the staff in other positions are also Fijian, and women make up 43 percent of the workforce.
The airline employs 21 expatriates, five of whom hold executive positions. The average age of its employees is 34 years, with 3 percent born between 1946 and 1964, 20 percent between 1965 and 1980, 46 percent being millennials born from 1981 to 1996, and 31 percent born between 1997 and 2012.
The increase in labor costs was attributed to a rise in headcount driven by the need for more operational staff to support a significant uptick in flight activity. The report noted that the reopening of global markets has led to a high demand for specialized personnel such as pilots, engineers, and cabin crew. Additionally, an outflux of workers from Fiji has created a labor shortage, prompting a comprehensive review of staff remuneration to ensure salaries are aligned with the Hay grading scale.