:Air Seychelles
{{Short description|Flag carrier of Seychelles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Air Seychelles
| image = Air Seychelles aircraft 2.jpg
| IATA = HM
| ICAO = SEY
| callsign = SEYCHELLES
| aoc =
| hubs = {{nowrap|Seychelles International Airport}}
| focus_cities =
| alliance = Vanilla Alliance
| fleet_size = 7
| destinations = 12
| parent = {{nowrap|Government of Seychelles}}
| logo = Air Seychelles logo.svg
| logo_size = 250
| founded = {{start date|1977|9|15|df=y}}
| headquarters = Mahé, Seychelles
| key_people = Remco Althuis (CEO)
| revenue = {{increase}} US$ 106.9 million (2014)
| profit = {{increase}} US$ 8.4 million (2022){{Cite press release|title="Air Seychelles achieves a profit of USD 8.4 million in 2022"|url=https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/news/2023/07/air-seychelles-achieves-profit-usd-84-million-2022|date=2023-07-25|language=en|access-date=2023-07-28}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.airseychelles.com}}
}}
Air Seychelles is the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles. Its head office is located at Seychelles International Airport on the island of Mahé and it operates inter-island and international flights and charter flights.
History
File:Air Seychelles Boeing 767-37D-ER S7-AHM (25602484593).jpg in the airline's older livery.]]
File:A6-EYZ - Air Seychelles - Airbus A330-243 - HKG (13448695105).jpg landing at Hong Kong International Airport.]]
=Establishment=
Seychelles Airlines was formed as the national airline of Seychelles on 15 September 1977 by merging two local carriers: Air Mahé and Inter-Island Airways. It was named Air Seychelles in September 1978.{{Cite web |title=9/15/1977: Air Seychelles Is Formed |url=https://www.airwaysmag.com/legacy-posts/air-seychelles-is-formed |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=airwaysmag.com}}{{Cite web |date=2015-03-02 |title=History |url=https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/history |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Air Seychelles |language=en}} The airline began international routes in 1983 to Frankfurt and London.{{Cite web|title=History|url=https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/history|date=2015-03-02|website=Air Seychelles|language=en|access-date=2020-05-26}}
File: Air Seychelles Boeing 707-324C S7-2HM (26359487296).jpg]]
=Investment=
In February 2012, the United Arab Emirates national carrier, Etihad Airways, invested US$45 million in Air Seychelles for a 40% share in the airline following problems of management and profitability. After operating at a loss for two years in a row, Air Seychelles planned to restructure and re-position itself to return to profit. The airline entered into codeshare agreements with Etihad Airways and started flying to Abu Dhabi in March 2012 to connect to Etihad Airways' network of destinations.{{cite web | title= Air Seychelles profits from successful expansion strategy | date= 10 April 2014 | url= http://www.thenational.ae/business/industry-insights/aviation/air-seychelles-profits-from-successful-expansion-strategy| access-date= 16 May 2015}}
On 16 March 2012, Air Seychelles announced a two-year business plan including the renewal of its fleet, leveraging Etihad Airways equity partnership – known as Etihad Airways Partners (which also includes Alitalia, Air Serbia and Virgin Australia), the introduction of Airbus A330−200 aircraft after over two decades of an all-Boeing fleet, increased frequencies to key destinations, and closer cooperation with Etihad Airways.
On 12 March 2015, Air Seychelles released their results for 2014, declaring US$3.2 million in net profits.
=Restructuring=
In January 2018, Air Seychelles announced the closure of its sole long-haul route (Paris), the return of its two Airbus A330 long-haul aircraft, and a focus on its regional network.[https://centreforaviation.com/news/air-seychelles-announces-business-transformation-plan-to-safeguard-long-term-profitability-760361 centreforaviation.com - Air Seychelles to suspend services and restructure fleet under strategic transformation plan] 24 January 2018 The plan is aimed at ensuring the long-term profitability and sustainability for the airline, in response to rapidly increasing competition. Remco Althuis, Interim CEO, said, 'The launch of competing air services from Europe to Seychelles will significantly impact Air Seychelles' flights to and from Paris, which account for approximately 30% of total passenger revenue at the airline, making the route unsustainable.' The airline will refocus on its domestic and regional networks, with a reduced workforce.{{cite press release |url=https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/news/2018/01/air-seychelles-announces-business-transformation-plan-safeguard-long-term |title=Air Seychelles announces business transformation plan to safeguard long-term profitability |date=23 January 2018 |access-date=24 January 2018 |publisher=Air Seychelles}}
Corporate affairs
=Ownership=
Air Seychelles was established and originally owned by the Government of Seychelles, having purchased and merged several small aircraft operators into one airline. Following problems of management and profitability, Etihad Airways acquired a 40 percent stake in Air Seychelles in 2012, in a deal worth $45m.
On 1 May 2021 it was announced Etihad Airways sold its 40% stake back to the Government of Seychelles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/aviation/etihad-divests-full-stake-in-air-seychelles-1.1214447 |title=Etihad divests full stake in Air Seychelles |date=2021-05-01|access-date=2021-05-02}}
=Business trends=
The key trends for Air Seychelles over recent years are shown below (as at year ending 31 December):
=Services=
Air Seychelles VIP is a specialised facility offering services for VIP passengers, aircraft crew and aeronautical technical support, including fixed-base operation which is managed in conjunction with Royal Jet.[https://www.airseychelles.com/de/kreolische-erlebnis/vip-services airseychelles.com - Air Seychelles VIP] retrieved 18 February 2018{{Update inline|date=September 2024|?=yes}}
The Air Seychelles Plus Programme has been fully integrated into Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, since June 2012.{{Cite web|title=Our loyalty programme|url=https://www.airseychelles.com/en/etihad-guest/our-loyalty-programme|date=2015-03-13|website=Air Seychelles|language=en|access-date=2020-05-26}}{{Update inline|date=September 2024|?=yes}}
Destinations
{{As of|2023|4}}, Air Seychelles serves the following destinations:
Fleet
File:Air_Seychelles_aircraft.jpg]]
File:DHC-300 Twin Otter 300 Air Seychelles.jpg in former livery]]
=Current fleet=
{{As of|2024|2}}, the Air Seychelles fleet comprises the following aircraft:{{cite web|title= Our Fleet|date= 5 February 2019|publisher= Air Seychelles|url= https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/our-fleet|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191012191704/https://www.airseychelles.com/en/about-us/our-fleet|archive-date= 12 October 2019|url-status=live}}
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse;text-align: center;"
|+ Air Seychelles fleet |
| rowspan="2"|Aircraft
!rowspan="2"|In Service !rowspan="2"|Orders !colspan="3"|Passengers !rowspan="2"|Notes |
|---|
| J
!Y !Total |
| Airbus A320neo
|— |12 |156 | |
| Viking Air DHC-6-400 Twin Otter
|5 |— |– |19 |19 | |
| Total
!7 ! ! colspan="4" | |
=Livery=
In October 2011, after nearly 25 years in their livery using traditional red, white and green local colours with two white terns (Gygis alba, the national bird of Seychelles), Air Seychelles painted its first Boeing 767-300ER aircraft in the company's new colours. The colours used on the tail end are blue, green, red and white.
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite news|title=Air Seychelles registers sold performance for 2Q2013 and 1H2013 |publisher=Centre for Aviation |date=5 September 2013 |url=https://centreforaviation.com/members/direct-news/air-seychelles-registers-sold-performance-for-2q2013-and-1h2013-127029 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216034625/https://centreforaviation.com/members/direct-news/air-seychelles-registers-sold-performance-for-2q2013-and-1h2013-127029 |archive-date=16 December 2017 |url-status=live }}
External links
{{Commons category-inline}}
- [https://www.airseychelles.com Official website]
{{Portal bar|Africa|Aviation}}
{{Navboxes
|list =
{{Vanilla Alliance}}
{{Airlines of Seychelles}}
{{Etihad Airways Partner}}
{{IATA members|africa}}
{{African Airlines Association}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Airlines of Seychelles
Category:Etihad Airways Partners
Category:Airlines established in 1977