Bula! (Means, Welcome, Good Morning or Good Afternoon in Fijian)
First class is always a special treat but on a Fiji Airways Airbus 350 it is like being royalty. Traveling this way makes the entire journey of your trip a pleasure. Fiji Airways knows how to start the vacation immediately upon boarding. Don’t forget though if you are traveling business class you will have access to the lounge. Fiji is said to have the friendliest people in the world, and they want to set that standard from the moment you board the plan.
I flew into LAX (Los Angeles) one day before my flight to Fiji to get rest and ready for the long overnight flight to Fiji. I am traveling on business and my route is taking me to 14 hotels to tour over the course of 5 nights, so I want to be at my best. Even if you are not touring and plan to relax, the time difference from Central Time is 18 hours ahead so you may want to think about making sure you get those extra hours of rest before arrival.
No matter what you decide, it is going to be a magical adventure!
Most people will travel in the day of and connect in LAX prior to their long journey to Fiji. I decided to fly into LAX one night before to allow for a restful day prior to departure. I loved doing this and will recommend it to my clients as well. Something to keep in mind is that when you fly business class you will have access to their beautiful lounge however, you cannot arrive earlier than 3 hours before your departure as the Fiji Airways desk does not open until then. For some reason Fiji Airways does not participate in TSA Precheck so even as a business class traveler, you will be waiting in line. Lines at LAX can be brutal so be prepared.
HOP TIP: People begin to queue up at least an hour before the Fiji Airways desk opens. The check-in process is a bit slow; I recommend arriving early so that you can get in line. Especially, if you are not business class.
As a Fiji Airways business class passenger, you will have a plethora of choices. While your representative will send all business class passengers to the Star Alliance Lounge, you may also use the Oneworld Lounge, and if you are a member, you can also use the Qantas First Lounge.
I picked the Star Alliance Lounge and loved every minute of it. There are a ton of unique features which make this lounge at the top of my list. This is a large lounge with lots of places to spread out privately or in a group. Don’t stop at the first place you see as there’s a lot happening here. Walk all of the way back to retreat to the outdoor terrace or step out on the circular terrace which wraps around the interior of the Tom Bradley Terminal. This is a wonderful space, a little hard to explain but the lighting and the ambiance make for a wonderful spot. The outdoor lounge has firepits as well as clear glass to gaze out.
If you want to shower prior to your overnight flight, you can take advantage of the shower suites. They have a ton! I looked, and they are very clean and private.
While your lounge experience will always have food options, I would not say it is a huge spread however, you will be fed on your flight. This is a nice place to grab a drink and some snacks while you relax in the lounge.
It is important to note that the lounge has free W-Fi and it is capable of streaming Netflix and uploading pictures. You can work, social, or stream with confidence.
One of the many things I love about starting my vacations with an airline based in the country I am traveling to is that you are greeted with the hospitality of the country the minute you board the plane. While you are reading this you may not think it is a big deal, but I assure you it does enhance your vacation experience. The hospitality on board Fiji Airways as we boarded immediately relaxed me and made me feel I was on vacation. The plane smelled like Pure Fiji products, the music was playing, and the decorations throughout were Fijian.
There are 33 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, spread across nine rows. It is important to note that Fiji Airways has Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats, these are commonly found on many airlines.
On my way to Fiji I sat in seat 11 A and on my way home I sat in seat 16 K. I liked both seats. The only issue I had with 11 A is that there was a lot of foot-traffic to the bathroom while I was sleeping. There was a curtain that the flight crew kept pulling but passengers would open and close it to get to the restroom. Not a huge deal but worth noting.
As you start to settle into your seat you will notice an amenity kit which includes socks, sleep mask, lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, pen. You will also have a little booklet to explain your seat controls to you. Last you will have a pillow and blanket for your comfort.
Immediately, the flight crew will greet you with juice and champaign.
HOT TIP: Take both and make a mimosa!
How about a warm towel? Yes, please! It smells incredible.
Fiji Airways Business Class seats are a full laydown seat option. These seats are spacious and feel private. Fiji Airways provides bedding which helps smooth out your seat quite a bit. Just after dinner your flight crew will come around with a mattress pad and comforter so that they can prepare your bed.
My recommendation is to enjoy your meal, make your bed, watch some TV then try to get some rest. I did this on both my arrival and return and my jetlag was very minimal.
Inflight entertainment is plentiful and you are provided with a nice set of headphone to use. I found them to be very comfortable. Of course you can also download your favorite shows to watch on your personal device. I did try to get on wifi but the connection was not great on either flight.
You are served two times on this flight, once for dinner which happens about 50 minutes after takeoff and another time for breakfast which is about 2 hours before landing. I did not find either meal to be gourmet, but they were both palatable. Drinks were good but I did find I had to ask if I wanted more than one. The coffee was excellent!!
Fiji Airways business class provided an exceptional experience for me. The service, comfort, and ambiance were all top notch. I would not hesitate to make this recommendation to my clients. Being able to have a laydown seat and first-class service starts your long trip off on the right foot.
Contact Guru Travel to plan your trip to Fiji.