Air Seychelles Announces Flights to Abu Dhabi

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:55:41 GMT

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of the Seychelles, today announced details of its new direct flights from Mahé to Abu Dhabi.

This follows last week’s announcement that Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, would form a strategic partnership by taking a 40 per cent stake in the airline.

Complementing Etihad Airways’ existing four weekly services from Abu Dhabi to Mahé, March 12 will see Air Seychelles inaugurate two weekly return services on the route. Effectively, the new schedule will offer six direct services per week between Abu Dhabi and Mahé, increasing to seven per week from June 2012.

These Air Seychelles flights will operate on a Boeing 767-300ER series aircraft, in a two-class configuration, offering a total of 844 seats each week.

The new flights are on sale from today.

A key benefit to travellers of the new Air Seychelles non-stop Mahé-Abu Dhabi service is convenient flight arrival and departure times and connectivity from Mahé with Etihad Airways’ codeshare flights through Abu Dhabi to the Far East, flights to Australia, the Indian Subcontinent and the Gulf region.

Etihad Airways guests, particularly from key feeder markets of Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and the United Kingdom, will also benefit from the increased connectivity options in travel to Mahé and onward destinations across the Air Seychelles network, such as Mauritius and flights to Johannesburg.

Cramer Ball, Air Seychelles Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Seychelles have already proven to be a hugely popular holiday destination amongst Etihad Airways guests. With these additional two Air Seychelles weekly flights, we look forward to successfully serving the route, tourism and business at each end and beyond.”

Etihad Airways commenced services itself to the Seychelles on November 2, 2011.

Etihad Airways And Air Seychelles Codeshare Flights Now On Sale

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:25:11 GMT

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today launched a new reciprocal codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of the Seychelles.

The deal follows yesterday’s announcement that the Abu Dhabi-based airline would form a strategic partnership by taking a 40 per cent stake in the national carrier of the Seychelles.

Under the first phase of the agreement, Etihad Airways guests will have the opportunity to travel to Praslin via Mahé and Air Seychelles guests will be able to travel to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways. The new codeshare services are on sale from today, effective immediately on flights with both airlines.

The second phase of the agreement will see Etihad Airways-marketed flights across Air Seychelles’ network and Air Seychelles-marketed flights to Etihad Airways destinations across Europe, including flights to the Middle East, the GCC, Asia and flights to Australia.

The agreement – Etihad Airways’ 36th such commercial partnership – continues the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s global network expansion.

Etihad Airways commenced services to the Seychelles capital of Mahé on November 2, 2011.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Although we only recently launched the route, the flights to the Seychelles has already proven to be a hugely popular holiday destination among our guests. By expanding our presence in the region and increasing connectivity in cooperation with Air Seychelles, Etihad Airways’ guests can look forward to a more seamless travel experience within the diverse and scenic islands.”

An integrated, reciprocal frequent flyer agreement, including mileage earning and redemption, will be introduced later this year.

Seychelles Government And Etihad Airways Team Up In New Strategic Partnership In Air Seychelles Ltd.

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:45:40 GMT

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

The deal was announced today 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 USD 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 USD 25 million to meet working capital requirements and support network development.

Mr Morgan said: “This is a game-changing strategic partnership for us, establishing Air Seychelles on a sustainable growth trajectory and offering a realistic way forward for long-term commercial growth.”

“The partnership simultaneously provides international presence, strategic penetration and a bright future for our national carrier.”

“The aviation industry is under enormous pressure right now, with small airlines especially vulnerable to global economic instability and ongoing oil price volatility. In this context, consolidation offers the best possible solution for Air Seychelles. This agreement will allow Air Seychelles to share the benefits of the visionary strategy of one of the world’s leading airlines and leverage its economies of scale and synergies.”

Mr Hogan said: “This deal is consistent with our approach to expansion, which relies on the strength of strategic partnerships across the globe. The investment in the national carrier of Seychelles is a natural next step towards growing our operations in the increasingly important leisure markets of the Indian Ocean and Africa.

“The Seychelles is a renowned leisure destination and its tourism industry is surging, as indicated by record-setting visitor numbers for the island nation in 2011. There is a need for greater connectivity to support this tourism boom, and both Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways are well-positioned to leverage that demand into substantial commercial growth.

The integration of the networks will give Air Seychelles greater opportunity to tap into key tourism feeder markets across Europe – such as with flights to Germany, France, Italy and flights to the UK – where Etihad Airways’ presence is strong and growing.”

Asia, and more specifically China, is increasingly important to the Seychelles national economy. Apart from the Seychelles strategic geographic significance as a stepping stone between China and Africa, the island nation is also an important trading partner for Chinese business and an increasingly popular leisure destination for significant numbers of Chinese travellers.

The agreement, which is the first of its kind in Africa, makes for provision for a five-year management contract for Etihad Airways which will see the implementation of strategic measures to encourage Air Seychelles’ long-term commercial growth.

Importantly, the partnership will offer unprecedented career development opportunities and access to Etihad Airways state-of-the-art training academy and facilities in Abu Dhabi for Seychellois aviation professionals.

Etihad Airways has achieved a high level of success in encouraging and facilitating the professional growth and increased presence of nationals in the organisation following the implementation of its localisation program, and will support a similar knowledge and skill transfer for Seychellois within Air Seychelles.

Another important element of the agreement gives Air Seychelles office presence in Etihad Airways offices across the Etihad Airways network. This means vastly improved marketing possibilities for the country and its national carrier.

Finally, the new partnership will further drive consolidation of key functions, resulting in significant cost savings and process optimisation.

Also under the partnership:

? Etihad Airways will seek to increase frequency of flights between Abu Dhabi and Mahé from four per week to daily, as well as providing new services to the islands;

? Etihad Airways will work in conjunction with Air Seychelles to develop a renewed fleet and network growth plan for the island-based carrier;

? The airlines will sign a comprehensive codeshare agreement to include Etihad Airways-marketed flights across Air Seychelles’ network and Air Seychelles-marketed flights to Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways destinations across Europe, the Middle East, the GCC, Asia and Australia.

? Etihad Guest and Seychelles Bonus, the airlines’ frequent flyer programs, will be integrated to include mileage earning and redemption on each other’s flights.

This agreement is Etihad Airways’ second equity investment, following its December 2011 announcement that it would increase its stake in airberlin to 29.21 per cent, making it the single biggest shareholder in Europe’s sixth largest airline.

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