Watching the clock tick down before Fijian holidays begin is very exciting. You’re already dreaming of that big BULA welcome, the cocktails you’ll have around the pool, the shining Fijian sun and all the adventures to come!

Jasmin’s Fiji Airways Experience

One of Spacifica Travel’s own, Jasmin, and her partner recently visited Fiji on their own Fijian holidays. While she has many Fijian tales to tell, all holidays start with getting there! Their chosen Fiji holiday packages included flights with Fiji Airways, which travels direct from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne daily, and Adelaide twice a week. Discover Jasmin’s Fiji Airways journey below.

Bula! Brisbane International Airport

There is something special about the moment you open the boot of your Uber and drag your luggage out... The wheels of my luggage “Calvin” hit the pavement of the international drop off area and it stirs the butterflies in my stomach. Like a smack in the face, I am in holiday mode. I start swagger walking through to the terminal as if I have nowhere else to be. Wearing an outfit that shows everyone I am being comfy/sensible for my flight ahead but stylish enough to say “where is the bar”. The line-up of people at the Fiji Airways desk is filled with smiles. Some desperately needing that first holiday out of Australia and others going to see family after such a long time. “BULA!” calls the super friendly check-in person. I wave my bag off and then go through the security check area. Not sure if it was my stupid grin or my inability to walk through the body scanner without dancing but I was tagged for a swab check. The friendly lady was quick to send me on my way and before I knew it, I was in the duty-free area. I’m not sure about everyone else but when I enter the duty-free area, I am rushed with endless ideas of all the things I want. Then those wants are slowly convinced to be needs and I walk away with perfume, alcohol, and a cigar (I don’t even smoke!). But my receipt says I saved so much, which means I made money right?

At this point my travel buddy/partner and I are starving so we head to the only place that offers a view of our transport to our destination, The Windmill & Co Bar and Bistro. With no hesitation we are eating eggs benny with a mimosa. After getting my hit of vitamin c from my beverage, we head to Gate 86. We heard like sheep on to the aerobridge that will take us to our aircraft.

Bula! Welcome Aboard

Suddenly the air conditioning is extra cold and you are welcomed with the traditional Fiji smile that we all know and love. The seating on this flight was 2 x 4 x 2. We received a window and aisle seat – in my opinion this is the best configuration you can get, well shy of business class of course. While I get comfortable in my seat, I notice that my 5ft 3 height offers so much room to be comfortable. My partner is 6ft 2 and wasn’t concerned about the person sitting in front laying their seat back into his knees.

Click goes the belt and it is time to take off. We are blessed with a stunning view of the beautiful city of Brisbane and views of Stradbroke Island before climbing into the clouds to begin our journey to Fiji.

Ding! Yay I can go to the bathroom and explore the plane. I am curious about the drawn curtain that separates the economy area. The flight attendants were very accommodating in letting me look at this premium area. As you can imagine the legroom, comfort, and food offers the ultimate experience on Fiji Airways. Before take-off you are given a cold towel to refresh yourself. Not sure on the etiquette of using these but I definitely saw some unique ways.

Business Class has a dedicated toilet that offers more space than economy and a couple extra luxuries like hand cream after you wash your hands. If you are looking at starting your holiday in true exclusive comfort this is definitely the best option.

Well, back to Economy where I sit down and plan my movie for this trip. There is a great selection to choose from including recent releases and golden oldies. I will admit my childhood movie “Land Before Time” was hard to go past. So I click play and settle in, then in no time my meal has arrived. The meal is well portioned and super tasty. I love that there was a sneaky chocolate coconut biscuit on the side to help hold the tears back when Littlefoot loses his mum.

I wiped away the tears, look out the window, and can see we are starting our decent to Viti Levu in Fiji. Our landing is smooth and we promptly get off the plane where you hear endless “Bula!” call to greet our arrival.

Bula! You’re in Fiji

In the arrival terminal there are Fijian men playing music and singing which gives you the sense of a warm welcome hug.

Not long and my bag “Calvin” and I are reunited. Together we again begin swagger walking through the terminal looking for our private transfer to our hotel.

The airport terminal is very easy to navigate and all the transfer companies are situated together. The staff are happy to direct you to who you are looking for. Before I know it, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much and I can see my name on a board that my driver Tevita is holding. He greets us with the continuous Fijian welcome that we have experienced so far and hands us a tropical flower. With no hesitation, I put the flower behind my ear and listen to his stories of the island on our drive.

Create your own Fijian Holidays

Fiji Airways makes travelling to Fiji easy. The welcoming and enjoyable experience almost makes you feel as though you aren’t on a plane!

Spacifica Travel offers a variety of packages for Fijian holidays of all shapes and sizes. To start planning your Fijian holidays – and experience Fiji Airways for yourself – contact our Fijian experts today!