Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO Andre Viljoen will be stepping down from his role effective October 2025.
Viljoen, who joined the airline in 2015 after a tenure as CEO of Air Mauritius, will return to lead the Mauritian flag carrier once again.
The announcement was made by Fiji Airways Chairman Nalin Patel, who praised Viljoen’s “outstanding leadership” during one of the most pivotal periods in the airline’s history.
“Under Andre’s stewardship, Fiji Airways has undergone a remarkable transformation,” Patel said.
Since Viljoen’s appointment in 2015, Fiji Airways has achieved key milestones, among these:
- A leap in the airline’s global SKYTRAX ranking from 102nd in 2015 to 14th in 2024.
- Back-to-back wins as Best Airline in Australia/Pacific.
- Earning the prestigious APEX 5-Star Major Airline rating for three consecutive years.
- Doubling of its fleet from 12 to 24 aircraft, including the addition of four fuel-efficient Airbus A350s.
- A jump in annual revenue from FJ$815.3 million in 2015 to FJ$1.9 billion in 2024.
Viljoen also oversaw the creation of the Fiji Airways Aviation Academy — a state-of-the-art training facility that houses four full-flight simulators and attracts major international carriers such as Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and Air Tahiti.
Perhaps most critically, Viljoen steered Fiji Airways through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. His ‘Future-Fit Ready Strategy’ enabled the airline to adapt rapidly during global lockdowns. While many carriers grounded operations, Fiji Airways undertook 523 repatriation flights and transported over 17,800 tonnes of freight — keeping both people and trade moving during a time of immense uncertainty.
Viljoen will assume leadership at Air Mauritius later this year, returning to the airline where he previously served as CEO from 2010 to 2015. During his earlier tenure, he engineered the company’s successful “7 Step Recovery Plan,” which brought the airline back into the black and led to its re-fleeting with new-generation aircraft.
Despite the shift, Viljoen’s ties to Fiji Airways will not be entirely severed. He will remain on the airline’s Board of Directors, a move the company says poses no conflict of interest given the distinct markets served by the two airlines. Instead, officials hint at potential collaboration, particularly given the shared aircraft types — including the A350 and ATR models — between the two carriers.
Fiji Airways confirmed that a search for Viljoen’s replacement is now underway. The position will be advertised internally, nationally, and internationally, with the board aiming to find a candidate who can build upon Viljoen’s legacy while guiding the airline through its next phase of growth.
