Fiji Airways has a new captain at the helm. The airline has confirmed that former Virgin Australia boss Paul Scurrah will take over as Managing Director and CEO from 1 November 2025.
Mr Scurrah will replace outgoing CEO Andre Viljoen, who led the carrier for a decade.
“Mr Scurrah brings to the role more than two decades of executive experience across aviation, transport, logistics and tourism,” Fiji Airways Group Chairman Nalin Patel said when making the announcement.
“His proven track record in leading complex organisations, driving cultural transformation, results-driven leadership, and delivering exceptional stakeholder value makes him an ideal leader for our next chapter.”
Scurrah joins the Fijian carrier from Pacific National, Australia’s largest private rail freight operator, where he served as CEO.
However, Scurrah is no stranger to aviation. Best known for his time as CEO of Virgin Australia, the Aussie helped steer the airline through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When international travel came to a halt, Mr Scurrah led a rapid and complex restructuring that preserved core routes, safeguarded jobs, and positioned the airline for recovery,” Patel remarked.
Elsewhere, Scurrah held leadership roles at Queensland Rail and DP World Australia, as well as senior positions in sales and distribution across the airline sector. He was also a founding executive and investor in Rex Airlines.
Mr Patel said the Fiji Airways Board is confident that under Scurrah’s leadership, the carrier will “continue to thrive and deliver on its promise to be the airline of choice in the region and internationally”.
“We warmly welcome Mr Scurrah to the Fiji Airways family and look forward to a successful journey ahead,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s national airline thanked Andre Viljoen for his significant contributions to the carrier.
“Under his stewardship, the airline achieved significant growth, navigating unprecedented global challenges, emerging stronger and more resilient,” the board stated.
“His commitment to excellence, innovation, and national pride has left a lasting legacy, and we thank him for his contribution to Fiji Airways.”
Under Viljoen’s leadership, Fiji Airways’ profile soared to new heights, earning the APEX World Class Airline 2026 Award and climbing to 14th in the world in the annual Skytrax rankings. The carrier nearly doubled its fleet, boosted revenue to FJ$1.9 billion, launched a state-of-the-art Aviation Academy and achieved record growth.
Viljoen will remain on the Fiji Airways Board of Directors to “ensure continuity”.
Earlier this year, Fiji Airways officially joined the oneworld airline alliance as a full member, giving Australian travellers new reasons to fly with Fiji’s national carrier.
The carrier also touched down in Cairns for the first time in April 2025, creating a direct link between Tropical North Queensland and Fiji.
