Fiji Airways (FJ) is to become a BAEC partner under a new
oneworld connect programme.
This will be a 'light' version of
oneworld membership with limited benefits for most alliance members, but BA will be one of FJ's four
sponsors, along with AA, CX and QF. This means BAEC members will be able to earn and spend on FJ and get status benefits including lounge access. No start date has been given yet.
FJ has direct flights to six BA gateways - see map below - and also serves several destinations in Aus and NZ, so this may open up some interesting redemption opportunities to that part of the world, subject to availability of course.
For revenue fares, BA currently codeshares on FJ's SIN-NAN service only - to be seen if codeshares will expand. FJ will also be included in
oneworld explorer RTW fares.
Press release here:
<link>
AusBT article here:
<link> (this doesn't mention CX as one of the sponsors)
oneworld says it's also in discussion with other carriers interested in participating in the connect programme "from various parts of the world including the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe".
Note: One feature mentioned in the PR is through-check of baggage between FJ and its sponsors. Given BA's no through-check on separate bookings policy, I don't think this adds much since BA already interlines to FJ on single tickets. The rather niche difference is it (presumably) means BA will through-check on separate tickets under the same PNR, which it wouldn't do currently.
BA-FJ connections: