Tag Archives: Air Seychelles

Air Seychelles adds its second Airbus A330-200

Air Seychelles (Mahe) on March 7 welcomed its second Airbus A330-200 in a ceremony at the Seychelles International Airport .

The new aircraft, Airbus A330-243 A6-EYZ (msn 807, ex VT-JWE), is leased from Etihad Airways and is named ‘Vallée de Mai’ in honor of Seychelles’ second UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. A6-EYZ is being operated by an all-Seychellois crew. At the controls were Captain Paul Belle and First Officer Hervé Morel, with the cabin managed by nine Air Seychelles cabin crew.

The Seychellois-operated flight is a significant milestone for the airline, which only a year ago retired its Boeing 767-300 aircraft and retrained all pilots and cabin crew to operate the Airbus A330. Equity partner Etihad Airways provided the training at its world-class facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. The first Airbus A330 is this A330-243 registered as A6-EYY (msn 751) and was leased from Etihad Airways on July 3, 2012. A6-EYY, pictured arriving at Johannesburg, is named “Aldabra”.

Air Seychelles:

Route Map:

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Air Seychelles to fly to Hong Kong starting on March 24

Air Seychelles (Mahe) will extend its network with a new route to Hong Kong via Abu Dhabi starting on March 24 following government approvals. The new route will be operated three days a week in each direction with the pictured new Airbus A330-200.

Copyright Photo: Konstantin von Wedelstaedt. The single Airbus A330-243 registered as A6-EYY (msn 751) makes a stop at Abu Dhabi preparing for its departure to the island destination of Mahe. The airliner is being wet leased from partner Etihad Airways.

Air Seychelles:

Air Seychelles to fly to Hong Kong

Air Seychelles (Mahe) has announced it will introduce new services to Hong Kong in February 2013, subject to regulatory approvals, following the delivery of its second Airbus A330-200 aircraft in January 2013. The airline will operate three return services per week from the Seychelles to Hong Kong via Abu Dhabi.

Air Seychelles receives its first Airbus A330-200

Air Seychelles (Mahe) on July 5 took delivery of its first Airbus A330-200, leased from its new strategic partner Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). Another A330-200 is due by the end of the year. The airliner is named “Aldabra” after the world’s second largest coral atoll. Aldabra is located in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean which is part of the Seychelles Islands. Aldabra is uninhabited and isolated and has distinctive fauna including the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. Aldabra is designated a World Heritage Site.

Read the full story from The National: CLICK HERE

Route Map. Air Seychelles is now feeding all of its European traffic through Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways.

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Air Seychelles announces a new two-year business plan, will lease two Airbus A330-200s

Air Seychelles (Mahe) has announced a new two-year business plan which details its new growing business relationship with Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). Air Seychelles will depend on Etihad Airways’ expertise and route structure to expand its business. Air Seychelles will also lease two Airbus A330-200s in order to launch a new route to Beijing, China in early 2013. With the Airbus A330s it will also expand its flights to the key destinations of Abu Dhabi, Mauritius and Johannesburg. The company recently ended long-haul service to Europe.

Read the full report from Emirates 24/7: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ronferley. Now a rare sight at the Mahe base. This Boeing 767-37D ER S7-AHM (msn 26328) in the 2011 livery is now gone as the company phases out the type. S7-AHM has gone to Miami for repainting and a new customer.

Air Seychelles Slide Show: CLICK HERE

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Air Seychelles to start Mahe-Abu Dhabi flights on March 12

Air Seychelles Boeing 767-219 ER S7-SEZ (msn 24150) LHR (Antony J. Best), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air Seychelles (Mahe) will start the planned Mahe-Abu Dhabi twice-weekly service on March 12 to complement existing service by partner Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi).

Air Seychelles Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Etihad Airways buys 40% of Air Seychelles for $20 million

Etihad Airways Airbus A330-343X A6-AFA (msn 1071) (Visit Abu Dhabi 2011) GVA (Paul Denton), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) is acquiring a 40 percent interest in Air Seychelles (Male) for $20 million.

Air Seychelles recently dropped its long-haul services to Europe and retired most of its long-range Boeing 767-300 ERs.

Air Seychelles issued the following statement:

“The Government of Seychelles and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) wherein Etihad will invest to acquire a 40 percent stake in Air Seychelles Ltd as part of a strategic partnership alliance initiative between Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways.

The deal was announced today (January 26) by Joel Morgan, Seychelles Minister of Home Affairs, Environment, Transport and Energy and James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways’ investment of $20 million will be matched by an equal capital injection from the Government of Seychelles. In addition, Etihad Airways will also provide a shareholder’s loan of $25 million to meet working capital requirements and support network development.”

Etihad Airways Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Air Seychelles to end service to London, Paris and Italy on January 10

Air Seychelles (Mahe) is ending service to London (Heathrow), Paris (CDG), Milan (Malpensa) and Rome (Fiumicino) all on January 10.

Air Seychelles launched its London operations on October 26, 1983 using a British Caledonian Airways DC-10 to fly the first international inaugural flight of the airline. The Rome service was launched in March 1993 and flights to Paris started in December 1996.

As part of its restructuring and repositioning process to turn into regional airline, Air Seychelles has announced that it will be ending its European operations to Paris, London, Rome and Milan. Three Paris flights were initially to operate until end of March 2012.

Air Seychelles in 2012 will be operating only to Mauritius and Johannesburg using its Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

Passenger bookings to the three European destinations have continue to drop significantly after January 9, 2012 and the company made a commercial decision to cease operations to these European destinations early.

Air Seychelles has on-going discussions for a code share agreement with Etihad Airways to use an Air Seychelles aircraft on the Mahe-Abu Dhabi-Mahe route to link with Etihad’s international operations.

Blue Panorama anticipates that it will be operating flights between Italy and Seychelles soon.

Air Seychelles and its shareholder are in the process to finalize the return of its three Boeing 767-300 aircraft to the lessor.

For its planned regional operations next year, Air Seychelles will be acquiring a narrow-body Boeing 737-800 or an Airbus A320 for its operations to India, East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Copyright Photo: Air Seychelles. The company’s 2011 livery on this Boeing 767-37D ER S7-AHM (msn 26328) will be short-lived.

Air Seychelles to drop London and Paris

Air Seychelles Boeing 767-219 ER S7-SEZ (msn 24150) LHR (Antony J. Best), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air Seychelles (Mahe) is getting out of the long-haul business and will concentrate on regional routes using Boeing 737-800s. London (Heathrow) will be dropped on January 8, 2012 and Paris (CDG) on March 25, 2012. The three remaining Boeing 767-300s will be returned.

Air Seychelles Slide Show: CLICK HERE