Outbound: November 22 – 24, 2003, FJ811 (23rd lost due to IDL)
(Codeshares as AA 7605 and QF 3026)
Return: FJ810, December 13, 2003
(Codeshares as AA 7604 and QF 3025)
Updated Jan 2009
Though I’ve flown FJ (as the AA codeshare for the Elite-qualifying miles – but I’ve already made my status quota and I saved takusan dollars flying as FJ this time), this is the first time I have flown on one of FJ’s “new” Boeing 747-412’s, recently leased in from Singapore Airlines (these two also saw service on lease with now-defunct Ansett as VH-ANA and -ANB.)
The aircraft, now registered as DQ-FJL (C/n 24062) and DQ-FJK (C/n 20464), named “Island of Viti Levu” and “Island of Vanua Levu”, with colourful paint jobs displaying idyllic Fijian island scenes, are similarly configured, with 430 seats (69 in the SUD, 361 main cabin) in “Pacific Voyager” (economy) class, and 28 in Tabua (business, pronounced “tom-BOOH-ah”) class (located in the lower deck nose of the aircraft).
“Pacific Voyager” seats have 32” seat pitch, one better than the old (uncomfortable!) Qantas leased 747-238B “classics” previously used on this routing, 6” recline, fixed "wing" seatbacks with personal video screens with 12 video and 12 audio entertainment channels (with cheap returnable headsets). Seat configuration is 3 x 3 in the SUD (row 15 is bulkhead, row 21 is exit row), with the main cabin in a conventional, if cramped, 3 – 4 – 3 in the main cabin (bulkheads include rows 27, 31 / 32 centre, and 57 centre; exit rows include 42 / 41 centre and 52. Rows 64 – 67 are 2 – 4 – 2.
“Tabua Class” (pronounced tom-BOO-uh) seats are old-style 2 – 2 and 2 – 2 – 2 C seats, wide, winged, with electric extendable footrests and recline, plus electrically operated lumbar support, sporting 57” pitch, 48 degree recline, 84 degree footrest extension angle and personal videos with 22 video and 12 audio channels (same cheap headests as in economy), and laptop power outlets. More legroom in rows 1 (bulkhead), 5 center (only a magazine storage locker / table in front) and 6 (exit). Rows 7 and 8 are starboard pairs next to the busy and loud galley. These seats are reasonably comfortable and one can sleep on one’s side with some careful body configuration 
Tabua Class gets priority baggage handling, and indeed, it was first up the carousel at both ends of the flight. At least this airline has not dispensed with this nice practice! Tabua amenity kits include a nice folding plastic and raffia-like bag with eye shades, socks for small-medium feet, comb, tooth kit and moisturizer (no razors for men).
One advantage of flying Air Pacific – if you enjoy gambling, you can purchase Pacific Voyager seats and try for counter upgrades (US$750 each way LAX – NAN).
Seat chart for all FJ aircraft available at http://www.airpacific.com/website.nsf/vwFleet/AIR002/$FILE/craft.pdf
Flying to Fiji, there were plenty of empty Tabua seats, flying back there was competition for the seats (elite FF status with codeshare airlines QF and AA, as well as Tabua Club membership, can make it easier to upgrade if you are pleasantly assertive on the ground). FJ also has competitive fares to / from Australia (SYD, BNE, MEL) and Auckland, with free stopovers in Fiji – one more reason many fly this airline.
Ground handling in LAX is fairly decent and organized, as much as it can be at the International (Tom Bradley) Departure block. Your request for counter upgrades will be decided while you are there, and seats confirmed (or denied). Elite QF – AA and Tabua Class / Club members are sent to the ANA / Air Pacific biz class lounge for waiting, a fair to middling lounge on the 4th floor once past security. We were assigned 4 J and K, and went off to await boarding at the lounge.
Ground handling in Fiji… I’ve seen more organized lemmings! One gets in queue (no signage) to have luggage examined at a mid-airport security setup – one person does hand luggage, another checked luggage (again, no signage or help here) before check-in. I won’t say more about security here, other than to say it is a true Charlie Uniform operation. Then, one goes off to check in- no stickers to indicate luggage has been checked, however.
At the counters, it was a zoo – initially, computers were down, then up- while staff all left for a staff meeting to discuss what to do. People who stood in queue were sent back for bag inspection at security, then had to queue up all over again or risk wrath if trying to cut in - all pretty haphazard, and passengers wound up in shouting and threat matches a couple of times!
The sole Tabua Class agent was last to show up – some time after Pacific Voyager counters were operating – and no commitments could be made about upgrades (I knew they had 9 unoccupied seats from the station chief), though they were quite adept at taking credit card details, and we were told to check at the Tabua Club lounge later.
After an early check-in, we went to dinner at Nandi town's wonderful Chef's - The Restaurant (overseen by Executive Chef Eugene Gomes and owned by Jack's Handicrafts, and near The Edge and The Corner, also Jack's operations.) The food is gourmet and wonderfuly served - as we left the staff lined up and sang us the Fijian goodbye song, "Isa Lei," and gave us chocolates.
We returned to the airport by taxi and were admitted to the Tabua Lounge (a bit dark and can get crowded, but it's not too bad and they do offer some beers and snacks,) where we were again told they had no information. We proceeded to the departure area (I will not denigrate zoos by calling it one,) and began asking about our presumably pending counter upgrades. Being pleasantly assertive at the gate suddenly materialised the desired Tabua upgrade seats at last minute (3A and 3B), and we loaded – a half-hour late. All in all, not very helpful, and quite inefficient, with agents interrupting each other, getting distracted during transactions, and not knowing some of the policies and operations.
Service onboard was about middle of the road as service goes, with most FA’s fairly friendly. One small problem is that instead of wandering and checking that passengers’ seatbelts are fastened whilst lights are out when expecting turbulence is that they take the easy way out and the purser makes a P.A. announcement practically guaranteed to wake you up – and we had several occasions to be disturbed, though blankets were tucked under very visible seat belts. Apparently, it is much easier to reach up and grab the mike to make an announcement than to rouse oneself from magazine reading or whatever to make an actual check.
Food consisted of a light passable late night airline meal (the flight departs LAX at 22:30, arriving NAN 5:15 two days later, and departs NAN at 23:00, arriving LAX 13:15 the same day), and a full brekkies (choices of fruit, juices, cereal, yoghurt, some form of eggs, breads, baked tomato, bangers, bacon, chicken chipolatas, cheese-filled crepes, tea or coffee) the next morning (the printed menu also lists lunch on the NAN – LAX leg, but a late breakfast is what is served). Full tableware is used, with the exception of the frequently-encountered cheap plastic knives. I can’t comment on the light meal, as we dine before flying and sleep whilst flying, but the breakfast was fair- good fruits and breads, flavorless papery-bready bangers, cardboardy bacon. Decent Australian wines and some beers are offered, and snacks are supposedly available any time one wishes to browse (but you have to find an FA first).
The aircraft was clean, and lavs were maintained during the flight, a good thing with an absolutely full NAN – LAX flight including a lot of NZ 50 pax with a grounded out-of-service flight. Arrival was on-time. All in all, a fair Business Class experience, with incredibly inept ground handling in Fiji, in a late 1980’s / early 1990’s Business Class configuration.
