Air Seychelles

[Brain to Automatic]

Asked this in questions but got no response. Does anyone know why HM park a 767 at LHR for 24 hours? Is it due to crew rest, maint or just timetabling

[Mr Angry from Purley]

I'd have thought time tabling a la SAA, Quantas etc. You can't get there and back in a 24hr period?

[Brain to Automatic]

Thanks MR A.

The flight that lands on a Sunday is in LHR for 11 hours and then is off like SAA as you suggest, but, it appears from the schedules that HM has a flight asrrive in LHR at 1755 on a Thursday that then does'nt depart until 1820 on the Friday, I'm wondering if it stays that long for maintenence or any other reason.

[Skipness One Echo]

Most likely crew rest, it parks remote on the 430s and there doesn't appear to be alot of maintenance.

[JSCL]

I'm certain it's based on slot restrictions at both ends and not necessarily how they'd want it.

[jabird]

I note that HM are pulling back all their long haul routes, and want to reposition themselves as a 'regional carrier'.

This seems to go against the logic which would imply there is reasonable demand for tourists to visit this part of the world, but an island nation with a population of just 90k would generate very little inter-regional traffic.

Having done a fair bit of island hopping around the Caribbean, I know that these flights can be extremely expensive relative to what we are used to in Europe, but these islands are at least quite close together, not to mention the cruise trade, off-shore finance, sporting links, medical universities etc generating enough inter-island traffic to make them viable. The Seychelles, Maldives, and the islands east of Madagascar are much further from each other, and culturally / politically separate.

No other airline provides a UK to SEZ route, so the main transfer option would be via AUH or DXB, or perhaps NBO.

I can see why the Caribbean carriers - Bewee > CA, Air Jamaica etc retreated from long haul when most of the trade was ex-UK, and people knew the brands of the UK based carriers, who were also better organised. But there is no direct competitor to HM, this kind of retreat doesn't seem to make any sense.

[True Blue]

BA from Lgw?

TB

[jabird]

TB,

BA go to Male, Maldives, not Mahe, Seychelles (SEZ). They also do Mauritius.

[davidjohnson6]

jabird - regional in this sense does not mean just puddle jumping 30 min flights - it's intended to include flights to places like eastern and southern Africa.

Google around the web on this - the problem for Air Seychelles is that they just can't compete on price / frequency / costs / FF scheme against the Middle East Big 3 - and sometmes the major European megacarriers. If Europeans want to lie on the beach they'll come anyway - no need to engage in a blood letting contest with other airlines to get bums on sun loungers. Better to stick to a profitable niche, instead of potentially sucking up Govt tax revenues that can be spent on other things just to keep the company going.

[jabird]

David,

Thanks for an excellent answer, I think that explains it more than a million hours of searches can.

I was making a comparison with the Caribbean as it is a market I know well, and it serves a similar type of tourist. As I was saying in my post, the geography is different, and I was curious as to how much demand there would be for flights within the region - especially if they are re-jigging lh aircraft for that, which appears to be the case. Wouldn't it be better to hand the 76s back and deploy something around the A319 / 73x mark?

[Mr Mac]

Just got back from a business trip around that part of the world (Indian Ocean Islands) and you would be surprised at the load factors and aircraft used on inter island hops eg A340 on Madagascar - Mauritiuse route. Seemed to me that they could easily make it pay as inter reigonl traffic appeared good although all tourist islands are not looking forward to 2012 given economic situation.

[jabird]

Mr Mac,

Interesting that they used such a large a/c on this route. Of course, population on its own is no guide to propensity to fly, especially as SEZ isn't exactly buzzing with high speed rail routes or motorways.

[Brain to Automatic]

.....They flew down to the Falklands for the MOD;)

[STN Ramp Rat]

.....They flew down to the Falklands for the MOD

that has nothing to do with the original question, the 24 hour layover at LHR was because BA did the engineering and it allowed for an A check.

the reson for pulling out of the long haul is becuase the Seychelles has become a battle ground / blood bath for the 3 Middle Eastern Carriers and they have killed the yields for the local carrier. the government no longer wished to subsidise a loss making national airline when the passengers can arrive via other airlines

[Brain to Automatic]

STN Ramp Rat.... Agree with your comment about increased competition, but did they have a dedicated acft based at Brize then to operate 2 return flights a week?

[STN Ramp Rat]

they used to have but the route transitioned to another carrier

[Brain to Automatic]

STN RR

Yes they did have the route and when they lost it they pulled out of longhaul. So when 5they had the Falklands route did the aircraft really spend all that time at LHR or did it go to the Falklands?

If not did they have a dedicated acft on the Falklands route?

[ib26uk]

The Air Seychelles 767 is flying from Brize Norton to the Falklands via the Ascension Islands... I know this because my Brother in Law is in the army and is heading to the Falklands for 3 months plus I have a mate thats just come back from there !!

[STN Ramp Rat]

The Air Seychelles 767 is flying from Brize Norton to the Falklands via the Ascension Islands... I know this because my Brother in Law is in the army and is heading to the Falklands for 3 months plus I have a mate thats just come back from there !!


well they are both misinformed then. Air Seychelles will operate its last B767 flights around the 8th January and the aircraft will return to the leasing company within a few days