Air Seychelles discontinues Europe
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Air Seychelles discontinues Europe/Lays off pilots
28-Dec-2011 Air Seychelles launched its London operations on 26th October 1983 using a British Caledonian Airways DC10 aircraft to fly the first international inaugural flight of the airline. The Rome service was launched in March 1993 and flights to Paris started off 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 2011.
Next year, Air Seychelles will be operating only to Mauritius and Johannesburg using a B767-300 aircraft.
Air Seychelles CEO, Bram Steller has said: “ Passenger bookings to the three European destinations have continue to drop significantly after January 9, 2012 and we have had to take a commercial decision to cease operations to these three European destinations as current bookings would not by any means even pay for variable, out of pocket costs.
However, he explained that Air Seychelles was in 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 to and from Europe and start linking up to their Asian and Australian destinations as well.
With regard, to passenger traffic from Italy, Blue Panorama , a private Italian airline anticipates that it will be operating flights between Italy and Seychelles soon.
Mr Steller also announced that Air Seychelles and its shareholder are in the process to finalise the return of its three Boeing 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 320 that will eventually see the national airline spread its operations to India, East Africa and the Indian Ocean
The company is also planning to layoff staffs and the pilots are already heading to the desert. This is a huge blow for the country's economy as 80% of the tourist are from Europe.
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 2011.
Next year, Air Seychelles will be operating only to Mauritius and Johannesburg using a B767-300 aircraft.
Air Seychelles CEO, Bram Steller has said: “ Passenger bookings to the three European destinations have continue to drop significantly after January 9, 2012 and we have had to take a commercial decision to cease operations to these three European destinations as current bookings would not by any means even pay for variable, out of pocket costs.
However, he explained that Air Seychelles was in 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 to and from Europe and start linking up to their Asian and Australian destinations as well.
With regard, to passenger traffic from Italy, Blue Panorama , a private Italian airline anticipates that it will be operating flights between Italy and Seychelles soon.
Mr Steller also announced that Air Seychelles and its shareholder are in the process to finalise the return of its three Boeing 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 320 that will eventually see the national airline spread its operations to India, East Africa and the Indian Ocean
The company is also planning to layoff staffs and the pilots are already heading to the desert. This is a huge blow for the country's economy as 80% of the tourist are from Europe.
Last edited by Twinotterguy; 19th Jan 2012 at 15:07.
Está servira para distraerle.
This restructuring is in keeping with the long term desire of the government to see the country's tourism aimed at high net worth individuals. Reunion and Seychelles have joined together as the 'The Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands' to form a common tourist destination. Air Austral will service that destination from Paris. The Seychelles Tourist Board, STB, has recently opened tourist offices in Russia, from whence come many,China and Abu Dhabi. The second Hilton hotel is about to open as is the first Kempinski. Emirates and Qatar have increased their services and Etihad has started a schedule. Helicopter Seychelles has reopened after a year long restructuring. Air Seychelles or HM, has for some time operated a particularly anti-social schedule to Johannesburg. Perhaps that will now be restructured to more conveniently accommodate the many South Africans who own second or third homes in Seychelles.
Seychelles never wanted the mass tourist trade of the rabble preferring a select and affluent clientele and it is to the credit of the government that it would appear as though this goal has been or is about to be achieved. The changes overall are in keeping with the sustainable and green tourists industry that now characterizes the new Seychelles tourism label, a concept which is incompatible with the rabble tourism so favored by the cattle class industry.
Seychelles never wanted the mass tourist trade of the rabble preferring a select and affluent clientele and it is to the credit of the government that it would appear as though this goal has been or is about to be achieved. The changes overall are in keeping with the sustainable and green tourists industry that now characterizes the new Seychelles tourism label, a concept which is incompatible with the rabble tourism so favored by the cattle class industry.
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HM operations
I always found it annoying that Seychelles was trying to remain focused on the high end tourists... and at the same time studying the Maldivian expansion with great interest and also bitching like crazy that the Maldives was redirecting tourists from the Seychelles market. I have flown in both markets and during my time at HM domestic I was rather surprised to see that the Seychelles are not able to offer the same class of convience or standard without "nickel and dime-ing" the 
out of the tourists... as an expat I paid substantially more for basics in the Seychelles then I did while living and working in the Maldives. Why pay more for a beach and sun holiday in the Seychelles when you can have an all inclusive no hassle holiday in the Maldives for the same price or even cheaper.... Seychelles are nice, yet when compared to the Maldives, they are a rip off and over rated. I lived in each country for over two years each...
Even as an expat I was hassled at the beach on my days off, experienced rip off attempts when trying to buy a SeyBrew, "nickel and dime-ed" to death for everything from pineapples to fish... it was annoying... and when I lived in the Maldives (and later returned for holidays) you arrive, are whisked off to the resort, enjoy no hassles, rip offs or hidden costs... just pure relaxation and enjoyment.
I feel sorry for the Seychelles... they could have done better if they didn't focus so much on the high end tourists...
Even Freddie Karkaria was interested in leasing a float equiped Otter to run tourists out to the lslands but Savy wouldn't hear of it!
Let's hope for better times ahead!
out of the tourists... as an expat I paid substantially more for basics in the Seychelles then I did while living and working in the Maldives. Why pay more for a beach and sun holiday in the Seychelles when you can have an all inclusive no hassle holiday in the Maldives for the same price or even cheaper.... Seychelles are nice, yet when compared to the Maldives, they are a rip off and over rated. I lived in each country for over two years each... Even as an expat I was hassled at the beach on my days off, experienced rip off attempts when trying to buy a SeyBrew, "nickel and dime-ed" to death for everything from pineapples to fish... it was annoying... and when I lived in the Maldives (and later returned for holidays) you arrive, are whisked off to the resort, enjoy no hassles, rip offs or hidden costs... just pure relaxation and enjoyment.
I feel sorry for the Seychelles... they could have done better if they didn't focus so much on the high end tourists...
Even Freddie Karkaria was interested in leasing a float equiped Otter to run tourists out to the lslands but Savy wouldn't hear of it!
Let's hope for better times ahead!
However, he explained that Air Seychelles was in on-going discussions for a code share agreement with Teahid Airways to use an Air Seychelles aircraft on the Mahe-Abu Dhabi-Mahe route to link with Teahid’s international operations to and from Europe and start linking up to their Asian and Australian destinations as well.
Surely you mean Etihad! I suppose it beats Stanstead though!
POSTSCRIPT
Apparently, even though I write Et**** it still comes out as Teahid......bizarre!
Apparently a tactic by people with great influence to stop/minimise any stories that displease appearing in search engines, despite being based in truth or not as the case may be 
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Just for your information Recently QR, EK and EY were in Seychelles to absorb the pilots and ,other crews that were made redundant by Air Seychelles, quiet a number of 767 pilots both experienced and low timers and few domestic pilots lost their jobs. There is also rumours that EY might 'take over' Air Seychelles and switch to Airbus fleet.
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Is the rumoured "take over" just international ops or Domestic as well? I worked at HM for 4years in Domestic. Back then The jets always struggled to make money but Domestic always did quite well. I'd be surprised if the Seychelles Government let Domestic go to full foreign ownership.
I made alot of good friends both expat and Seychellois during my time there. Sad to see alot of them now possibly unemployed.
I made alot of good friends both expat and Seychellois during my time there. Sad to see alot of them now possibly unemployed.
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@curizo
It should be only the international side, domestic is doing well but it has also taken a hit by the downsizing as it was also a feeder for the mainline. Yes the airline is in a sad state now, few pilots have already joine EK and QR
It should be only the international side, domestic is doing well but it has also taken a hit by the downsizing as it was also a feeder for the mainline. Yes the airline is in a sad state now, few pilots have already joine EK and QR
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I wonder what the HM slice of the action will be? I heard they may acquire a B737 NG for Jo'burg & Mauritius and maybe something fast & pressurised for domestic ( ATR or Dash 8).
The former CEO had a long held interest in operating to Australia. Unfortunately this never came about. Not withstanding any ETOPS limitation, a weekly return to Perth would/ should be worthy of serious evalutaion. Given a penniless Europe, the high AUD, FIFO people who from all accounts are very cashed up, it makes a lot of sense. In addition, SEZ would make a great transit stop enroute to Europe from Aust. I'm not convinced it all had to grind to a virtual halt for the B767's.
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Talks of having an Aussi routes have started recently, Air Seychelles might fly to Perth and Melbourne soon connecting Africa to Australia. Etihad is also concerned to compete with Kenya airways and soon to start new routes in African continent. Lots of developments is likely to happen in the coming months as Etihad appointed a new CEO today.
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HM did operate briefly to Perth I think back in the late 80's with B707's. Given the large expat Seychellios population in Perth & Melbourne plus aggressive marketing by Air Mauritius/ Mauritius I'm surprised HM didn't look at Aussie again a bit sooner.
Good to see things looking a bit brighter for HM international.
Good to see things looking a bit brighter for HM international.
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Nulli S,
On my last contract there the Australian Government put out a tender for the " islands run" : Christmas Island & Cocos Island.
The info was passed to HM managment with the thought of operating from Mahe - Christmas/ Cocos -Perth. Cocos is 2400m, Christmas 2100m.
Nothing came of it. My knowledge of the B767 is limited having never flown the type but It may shed some light on the Etops question.
The contract was operated by National Jet with an RJ 70.
On my last contract there the Australian Government put out a tender for the " islands run" : Christmas Island & Cocos Island.
The info was passed to HM managment with the thought of operating from Mahe - Christmas/ Cocos -Perth. Cocos is 2400m, Christmas 2100m.
Nothing came of it. My knowledge of the B767 is limited having never flown the type but It may shed some light on the Etops question.
The contract was operated by National Jet with an RJ 70.
