One of Air Pacific’s oldest aircraft has been retired to Hong Kong after 18 years in service as the airline invests in new planes.

Leaving Nadi International Airport yesterday on its last commercial flight, the 767-300 touched down for the last time at Hong Kong International Airport last night.

The retirement of the aircraft marks the next step for Air Pacific as it looks towards its three brand new Airbus 330-200. Air Pacific CEO Dave Pflieger justified the new purchase saying the airline faced numerous problems, including flight disruptions, with their old Boeing 767-300.

He continued to comment on the importance for the airline to invest in Fiji and was doing so with the purchase of new airplanes.

"The first airplane will be here on March of 2013, then May 2013, then November 2012.  An important point is that we will have the most modern and fuel efficient fleet in this part of the world when those three planes will arrive because we will have the newest fleet,” Mr Pflieger said.