Fiji Airways achieved its largest ever pre-tax profit last year, as the company reaped the rewards of its modernisation plan.

The group generated a total of FJ$84.5 million (US$40.3m) in 2016 – the year it launched new routes to Singapore and San Francisco and continued revamping its fleet. Group revenue edged 1.3% higher to FJ$825.3m while traffic increased 7.7% to 1.4m passengers.

Andre Viljoen, Fiji Airways’ managing director & CEO, called the figures “a fantastic result”.

“Last year was full of milestones achieved, culminating in the largest profit the airline has ever recorded. To achieve these results is nothing short of outstanding – in a year when we had the most devastating cyclone in our nation’s history slow down tourism and the launch of three new international routes,” Viljoen noted.

As well as launching Singapore and San Francisco in 2016, Fiji Airways started flying to Vava’u in Tonga and increased frequencies to several destinations, including Hong Kong, Auckland, Christchurch, Los Angeles and Sydney. It also continued to modernise its fleet with the launch of the new Airbus A330-300 aircraft on long-haul routes and the placement of an order for five new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The airline’s expansion will continue this year with the launch of flights to Adelaide and the opening of a new lounge at Nadi International Airport.