Opinions on Fiji Airways ?

[suparockin]

Hi everyone,

I read this review - Flight Test: Fiji Airways, business class

And from reading it sounds pretty good, then I read this and wasn't too sure - Fiji Airways Says 'We'd Rather Fly With Empty Business Class Seats than Allow You to Have the Seats You Paid For' - The Travel Insider

Anyway, they have an attractive route from SYD to LAX via Nadi, I'm travelling with a young child and I thought it might be nice to break up the long haul with a stop over each way in Fiji.

Does anyone have experience of Fiji Airways economy class?

Are there better ways to break up a long haul from Sydney to LAX so the kid doesn't tear the plane apart?

 

[Isochronous]

For the flag carrier of a country known for the large size of its people, I'm surprised they get away with such small Y seats.

 

[mannej]

The negative report you posted had more to do with the AS program and the ignorance of the blogger than Fiji Airways. He got stung by the QF trick and is barking up the wrong trick regarding the blame game.

 

[Isochronous]

I put a relative on FJ for the NAN-LAX trick and they said one of them missed out on breakfast too.

 

[Welsh-Kiwi]

What's the 'QF trick'?

 

[mannej]

What's the 'QF trick'?

The short flight in business, the longer flight in economy but charge the full business rate.

 

[ALH]

The short flight in business, the longer flight in economy but charge the full business rate.

Ouch! Wouldn't the Y sector show up in the booking?

 

[markis10]

Ouch! Wouldn't the Y sector show up in the booking?

Read the link, the writer was under the impression that because there were empty j seats they should be entitled to them despite them not being on offer in the award category.

 

[Newk]

Ouch! Wouldn't the Y sector show up in the booking?

is this the same as the little exclamation mark that says "your flight from x to y will be in economy"?

 

[Deleted member]

Read the link, the writer was under the impression that because there were empty j seats they should be entitled to them despite them not being on offer in the award category.

If this guy is a travel writer, you would have to assume that he knows something about travel......specifically how tickets work, points/miles , upgrades etc ( or at least would cheat and ask questions first on AFF or similar)
That being said , it isn't made clear by him exactly what class ( fare bucket) of J ticket he was travelling on.
Except to,say he had a biz class ticket courtesy of Alaskan Air miles.

 

[smit0847]

Read the link, the writer was under the impression that because there were empty j seats they should be entitled to them despite them not being on offer in the award category.

I don't actually have any sympathy for the blogger at all- they booked a mixed class ticket from a third party and then expected to be upgraded at the lounge as the cabin was not full, regardless of the fare types available.
Can you imagine waltzing up to the QFlounge and saying 'my booking through AA is in economy- upgrade me!'.

He should have contacted the third party (AS) before commencing travel for THEM to change the ticket and class - Fiji Airways don't know what type of redemption you booked and just because there are empty seats does not mean there are seats in your fare type or 'deal' available.

A travel blogger should know this. All the comments on the blog saying they will now avoid visiting Fiji are laughable.

 

[ric_melb]

Others here have expressed what I thought also. The writer just doesnt get it, and goes on for ages like a pompous .....

 

[Simo]

I have done Fiji Airways a few times.

My overall felling is better than a LCC but just lacks the QF sharpness.

 

[mrfreeze]

I have flown twice in business and four times in economy SYD-NAN-MEL and each time the experience has been OK.
The old 747 in J and Y and Y on the 737.
I have not flown on the new A330 yet, thats booked for July

Economy food each time was a "chicken roll", small tub of pasta and an ice cream for lunch and from memory the same on the return night flight to Melbourne.
I use the term "chicken roll" very loosely - it was pretty average

Service was OK, nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either.

 

[Isochronous]

By the looks of things the new J seats won't be as comfortable as the recliners on the 44 - I loved row 1 in the nose NAN-LAX!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I read they serve a hamburger in economy

 

[drron]

Also no sympathy for the blogger.But then he is from LOTFAP and so quite possibly genuinely believes he is entitled to empty J seats.
QF don't do it for their own members-we had award tickets JFK-LAX-SYD but unlike the usual QF trick the Y part was JFK-LAX.The 747 as it was then went out with just 7 J pax but no way could we get a J seat for that sector.

 

[whoistheg]

Just a big WARNING for those who plan to travel to the USA using Fiji Airways

My wife and i just got back from this trip and was shocked to be stung with a $600 FJD baggage
fee on our return leg from Fiji to Melbourne.

We flew Mel - LAX business class all ok.

When flew back from LA - Fiji in business class and we had 4 bags checked in (did shopping over there)
Even though we are both gold we could of had 6 bags between us.

We had a 2 night stopover in Fiji.

When we went to depart on the Fiji to Mel flight the check in staff would only allow 1 baggage at 32KG for business class each.

We had approx 100KG

We then had to pay $16 a KG for our other 2 bags...

Needless to say was very disappointed in how we were treated by the Fiji Airways
staff at Nadi. Even they said it was stupid but it was the computer system
and they could not change it. Even speaking to managers in Fiji they were not
willing to help or do anything.

All of my booking were done via QF..

 

[mannej]

I am sure one of the experts can decipher how this fits in with MSC and if the charges were correct or not.

 

[mrfreeze]

I would contact Qantas about this and ask for a clarification.
It seems FJ and QF have not got everything aligned with baggage requirements.
I have just checked my tickets for July and August return and they have 30Kg for baggage and I'm Gold flying economy.