Fiji Airways is currently dealing with significant disruptions to its evening and overnight flight schedules following a failure of the runway lighting at Nadi International Airport. This incident, which occurred yesterday evening, resulted in numerous flight delays, diversions, and cancellations.
The good news is that the runway lighting has now been restored, and operations have resumed at the airport. However, numerous aircraft and flight crews remain out of position at diversion airports, and Fiji Airways is diligently working to reposition these resources in order to quickly restore scheduled services.
Notable delays included flight FJ 810 from Nadi to Los Angeles, which experienced an 8 hour and 20 minute delay, ultimately departing at 6:00 AM today. Likewise, flight FJ 393 bound for Hong Kong faced a delay of approximately 6 hours and 55 minutes, with a new departure time set for 6:25 AM.
Fiji Airways has expressed its commitment to passenger safety and comfort, reassuring affected travelers that its teams are in direct communication to confirm updated travel arrangements. In their statement, the airline apologized for the inconvenience caused by this disruption, emphasizing that passenger and crew safety remains their highest priority.
Fiji Airports explained that the diversions were executed as a precautionary safety measure in line with international aviation standards. Several inbound flights were redirected, including Fiji Airways flights FJ 950, FJ 960, and FJ 274, which were directed to Nausori International Airport, while flight FJ 910 was diverted to Faleolo International Airport in Samoa. Additionally, two departing flights faced delays, including flight FJ 413, which departed at 8:45 PM instead of its scheduled time, and flight FJ 915, which was canceled due to a curfew at Sydney Airport.
As the airline continues its efforts to resume full operations, passengers are encouraged to keep informed about flight statuses and arrangements, providing a sense of hope that the situation will stabilize soon and air travel can return to normal.