Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama (middle) and Air Pacific board chairman, Nalin Patel (right) with Airbus’ Bruno du Pradel (second left) and Isabella Floret (second right) beside the second Fiji Airways A330 named Namuka-i-Lau. The aircraft is ready to depart for Fiji
By RACHNA LAL
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday officially received Air Pacific’s second of the three Airbus A330 aircraft from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France.
Airbus’ Vice President Contracts and Delivery Transactions, Thierry van der Heyden, met with the Fijian delegation and said they were excited to deliver Fiji’s second A330 aircraft.
Commodore Bainimarama thanked Airbus for delivering as per their promise to have the aircraft prepared on schedule and commended them on a ‘job well done’.
As a tribute to the designer of the Masi motif now used on the aircraft, Makereta Matemosi, the second aircraft will be named after her village, “Namuka-I-Lau”.
This second of the three aircraft arrives into Nadi this Thursday May 23. The third aircraft is due to arrive in November.
Air Pacific will next month be rebranded and return its former name of Fiji Airways.
Livery gains recognition
Meanwhile, Air Pacific’s livery on the Airbus has already started gaining international recognition.
The airline’s livery ranked top on TheDesignAir website which has become a recognised source of opinion in the airline industry. Air Pacific’s stunning livery on the brand new Airbus A330 was crowned number one.
This is amongst the six airlines of the Pacific rim which made up the top ten liveries of the year.