LAX Welcomes A350 Fiji Airways Plane
Good news for travellers in the City of Angels, and fans of Fiji and the South Pacific in general: Fiji Airways launched a new flight between Los Angeles and Nadi.
It won’t make the journey any faster (one can dream), but, according to the airline, it will make traveling across the pond more comfortable and convenient.
The new flight is mostly about the new airplane.
It’s an Airbus A350 XWB aircraft that will operate the nightly direct flights from LAX to Nadi, increasing the overall flight capacity of the previous LAX-Nadi route by about 15 per cent per night. Although the airline did not release exact figures regarding flight occupancy, one can presume that demand for the route is increasing and that the extra seats are needed to meet it.
Currently, the route offers two classes: 289 standard economy seats and 24 Business Class Seats.
But the new A350 will instead offer three classes of service that include 262 standard economy seats, 39
Bula space seats, and 33 business class seats.
The first five rows of the economy class are the new Bula space seats that offer a more comfortable, spacious seat (34” pitch compared to 31” for standard economy) and the ability to disembark sooner.
The business class is a 1-2-1 configuration that allow for every seat to have direct aisle access.
All are fully lie-flat with a soft mattress pad and a large duvet. The entertainment centre has a 17” screen. According to Fiji Airways, the new A350 XWB is the lieflat world’s “most modern” longrange plane and has an eye on reducing the overall impact that flying has on the environment.
For example, lower carbon dioxide emissions and a reduction of fuel usage. “Combining the very latest aerodynamics, new generation engines and use of lightweight materials, the A350 XWB brings a 25 per cent advantage in fuel burn, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and operating costs compared to previous generation aircraft,” the release states.
The new plane is also primed to cut back on noise pollution, both inside and outside.
“The A350 XWB’s ‘Airspace’ cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle,” the release states.
“It has been designed to be eco-efficient from gate to gate, which means lower noise and emissions at every stage of the journey: 40 per cent noise footprint reduction and 25 per cent lower CO2 emissions vs. previous generation aircraft.”
Highlights
■Other highlights of the new aircraft are the highest ceiling in the industry (95 inches) that increase the feeling of space for passengers in the cabin (tall men and women of the world rejoice); the largest overhead luggage bins on the market (which is a great thing, since everyone is pushing the limits these days with the size of their carry-ons); and a circulatory system that renews the cabin air every two to three minutes (achoo!).
■Fiji Airways currently operates direct flights to Nadi from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
■The airline won several awards in 2019, including a Skytrax 4-star rating.
■It was recognised for having the best airline staff in Australia-Pacific in 2019.