Fiji’s CAA to Undertake Jet Aircraft Safety Audit

The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF) has started targeted safety audits of all Fiji-registered aircraft with systems similar to the Boeing 787, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka.

Speaking in Fiji’s Parliament on August 5, 2025, Gavoka said the audit would focus on engine fuel cutoff switch mechanisms, emergency protocols, and black box data retrieval capabilities.

The audits are in response to the Air India crash that killed at least 260 people in June.

Fiji Airways is the country’s only operator of passenger jet aircraft. Its fleet includes five B787-8s, one B737-800, three A330-200s, one A330-300, and four A350-900s.

“We, as a government, refuse to take chances,” said Gavoka. “The Coalition Government believes in accountability, vigilance, and proactive regulation. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, in close collaboration with CAAF, continues to hold Fiji’s aviation industry to the highest international standards."

There has been no suggestion of problems at majority state-owned Fiji Airways or Fijian aviation.

Gavoka also told parliament about other efforts to improve pilot training and increase regulatory scrutiny.

These include heightened scrutiny of operator training programmes and a renewed focus on Crew Resource Management designed to bolster pilot mutual awareness, improve challenge-and-response protocols during critical flight phases, and reinforce standard operating procedures during take-off, climb, and emergency scenarios.

"These improvements are aimed at ensuring our systems are not only compliant, but capable of responding more quickly and effectively in the future," said Gavoka.