OREANDA-NEWS. November 10, 2015. In a dream-come-true for many travellers, Singapore will soon be directly connected to Fiji and the romantic paradise of tropical islands in the South Pacific. Changi Airport and Fiji Airways marked a new milestone today with the announcement of non-stop passenger services between Singapore and Fiji, representing Changi Airport’s first direct air link to the South Pacific Islands.

From 5 April 2016, Fiji Airways will operate a twice-weekly service between Nadi and Singapore, utilising a 273-seat Airbus 330 aircraft in a two-class configuration. The flight time of 10 hours saves travellers at least three hours compared to current flight options which require a transfer stop in Australia or New Zealand.

Fiji Airways’ new Nadi-Singapore service will open up exciting tourism opportunities. With over 70 city links to Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia, Changi Airport will provide European and Asian passengers direct and quick access to Fiji, famous for its white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, soft coral diving and luxurious resorts, spread over more than 300 tropical islands. Through this new service, Changi will also offer convenient connections to other exotic Pacific Islands such as Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu through Fiji Airways’ regional network. For travellers from the Pacific Islands, Singapore is not only an attractive tourism destination, but a strategic gateway for onward travel to Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Mr Andre Viljoen, Managing Director and CEO of Fiji Airways said, “We will be flying direct to a destination considered asAsia’s leading hub. Fijians will now be able to enjoy the comfort of our A330 aircraft on this 10-hour flight, departing Nadi late night and arriving in Singapore fresh in the morning ready to explore all that this bustling metropolitan city-state has to offer. In addition, most onwards flights to key cities in India, Indonesia and Malaysia are under four hours, which adds to the appeal of flying through Singapore. With this, we’re making good on our promise of taking Fijians to the world.”

Changi Airport Group CEO, Mr Lee Seow Hiang said, “This is a significant milestone for Changi Airport, with Fiji Airways’ new service bridging new direct links between Singapore and the South Pacific Islands. For travellers in Singapore as well as other parts of Asia and Europe, this development makes accessible to them new and exciting holiday destinations in the South Pacific. This certainly adds to Changi’s attractiveness as an air hub. For Fijian travellers, Singapore is already among their top destinations within Southeast Asia, and we believe this is set to grow further. We are excited about the growth potential of Fiji Airways at Changi Airport, and will work closely with the airline as well as other tourism and travel partners to maximise growth opportunities.”

About Changi Airport Group

Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CAG) (www.changiairportgroup.com) was formed on 16 June 2009 and the corporatisation of Singapore Changi Airport (IATA: SIN, ICAO: WSSS) followed on 1 July 2009. As the company managing Changi Airport, CAG undertakes key functions focusing on airport operations and management, air hub development, commercial activities and airport emergency services. CAG also manages Seletar Airport (IATA: XSP, ICAO: WSSL) and through its subsidiary Changi Airports International, invests in and manages foreign airports.

Changi Airport is the world's seventh busiest airport for international traffic.  It served a record 54.1 million passengers from around the globe in 2014.  More than 350 retail stores and 160 F&B outlets are situated across three terminals to cater to passengers and visitors.With over 100 airlines providing connectivity to 320 cities worldwide, Changi Airport handles about 6,700 flights every week, or about one every 90 seconds.