Air Seychelles
Encyclopedia
Air Seychelles is the national airline of the Seychelles
, with its head office on the property of Seychelles International Airport
on the island of Mahé
. It operates inter-island services and international flights. Its main base is Seychelles International Airport.
and London
. It is wholly owned by the Seychelles government and employs 663 staff. It operates a fleet of Boeing 767s on its international network and offers two classes of service, Pearl Class (Business class
) and Economy Class. Based at the Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), it also operates a small base at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) as agreed with Air France
to serve many off-line European destinations (such as former routes like Manchester
and Madrid
). It is also the major ground handling agent for all aircraft operating at SEZ.
straight off the production line of Boeing
. The aircraft landed at Seychelles International Airport
after it had completed the longest non-stop flight for a twin-engine aircraft at the time, which began in Grand Rapids
, USA on the 26 June. The flight lasted a total of 16 hours 49 minutes and 29 seconds and covered a great circle distance of 14,311 KM(8,893 miles). This record was broken nearly a year later by the same type of aircraft on 10 June 1990. This remarkable aircraft also had the landing gear of the 767-300 which allowed it to carry a full load of cargo, passengers and fuel without the limitations of the 767-200. Air Seychelles later returned the aircraft in April 2001 after 12 years in service.
The Air Seychelles fleet includes the following aircraft:
seats since the start of international operations in 1983. Currently, the seats are not competitive with other Business Class seats on airlines that fly to the Seychelles
, however there were plans to improve the Pearl Class seats with the arrival of the Boeing 787
in the 2010 to lie-flat seats. With delays in production of the aircraft, the company will begin placing the new Pearl Class seats on their current aircraft during September 2010, as the new aircraft is set to arrive in 2013. The new Pearl Class seats were unveiled earlier in 2010 and will be fitted firstly to the older 767-300ERs, (S7-AHM and S7-ASY). The old Pearl Class seats on these aircraft will replace the ones on the 767-200s which are used on regional routes. The airline is testing out a new portable In-Flight Entertainment
(IFE) system in Pearl Class on its commercial routes. Pearl Class seats are available on international routes only and are configured in a 2-2-2 manner.
, Johannesburg, Mauritius and Singapore, for a brief period from December 2007 to September 2008. The airline leased in a Boeing 767-207EM from XL Airways UK to supplement its only two other 767-300ERs, and this was the only aircraft to offer these type of seats of the fleet. With the collapse of the XL Airways UK in September 2008, the aircraft was grounded at Seychelles International Airport
and the airline leased in another 767-200 and opted to return to its original Pearl and Economy Class configuration.
, with improvements such as personal video screens.
base in Oxfordshire, England, to RAF Ascension Island and then on to RAF Mount Pleasant
, Falkland Islands
, in the South Atlantic. The contract was to provide the only scheduled air link, commonly known as the South Atlantic air bridge, from mainland UK to Ascension
and the Falklands.
The airline was due to make its final flight to the Falkland Islands on 2 September, 2011, according to a press report .
British charter Airline Titan Airways
has now taken over the contract for twelve months to commence on 4 September .
Air Seychelles announced in January 2010 that it had begun operations to the Falklands as part of a contract with the Ministry of Defence. Air Seychelles successfully bid for it after the ministry had to seek a replacement for the previous operator, which went bankrupt. Several other airlines also bid for the contract, but Air Seychelles was successful due to its experience of flying 767s and of island locations.
Air Seychelles was considered the best choice as it is one of the world’s most experienced Boeing 767 operators with over 20 years of extended-range operations. So the operation could be effectively carried out, one of the airline's five 767s, a Boeing 767-300ER, was to have been permanently based in the UK to fly the twice-weekly service to Ascension and onwards to the Falklands. Crews were positioned in Ascension and the UK.
The repair was filmed and was aired on National Geographic Channel
in an episode of 'The World's Toughest Fixes'
: 'Airline ER'.
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, with its head office on the property of Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport or Aéroport de La Pointe la Rue as it is known locally is located on the island of Mahé, Seychelles near the capital city of Victoria...
on the island of Mahé
Mahé, Seychelles
Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation. The population of Mahé is 80,000. It contains the capital city of Victoria and accommodates 90% of the country's total population...
. It operates inter-island services and international flights. Its main base is Seychelles International Airport.
History
The airline was established on 15 September 1977, following the merger of Air Mahé and Inter-Island Airways, as Seychelles Airlines and adopted the present title in September 1978. It started international routes in 1983 to FrankfurtFrankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is wholly owned by the Seychelles government and employs 663 staff. It operates a fleet of Boeing 767s on its international network and offers two classes of service, Pearl Class (Business class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
) and Economy Class. Based at the Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), it also operates a small base at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) as agreed with Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
to serve many off-line European destinations (such as former routes like Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
). It is also the major ground handling agent for all aircraft operating at SEZ.
First Boeing 767
On 27 June 1989, Air Seychelles received its first Boeing 767 (Registration S7-AAS), a new Boeing 767-200ER, which was leased from ILFC, that made its way to the SeychellesSeychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
straight off the production line of Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
. The aircraft landed at Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport or Aéroport de La Pointe la Rue as it is known locally is located on the island of Mahé, Seychelles near the capital city of Victoria...
after it had completed the longest non-stop flight for a twin-engine aircraft at the time, which began in Grand Rapids
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R....
, USA on the 26 June. The flight lasted a total of 16 hours 49 minutes and 29 seconds and covered a great circle distance of 14,311 KM(8,893 miles). This record was broken nearly a year later by the same type of aircraft on 10 June 1990. This remarkable aircraft also had the landing gear of the 767-300 which allowed it to carry a full load of cargo, passengers and fuel without the limitations of the 767-200. Air Seychelles later returned the aircraft in April 2001 after 12 years in service.
Codeshare agreements
Currently, Air Seychelles has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:- Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
(SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) - Etihad AirwaysEtihad AirwaysEtihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
Fleet
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| Boeing 767-300ER | 3 | — | 24 | 176 | 200 | Leased from ILFC Used on International routes |
| 22 | 190 | 212 | ||||
| 24 | 208 | 232 | ||||
| Boeing 777-200ER | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | To be added to the fleet by 2014. |
| DHC-6 Series 300 Twin Otter | 3 | — | 0 | 19 | 19 | Used on Domestic routes |
| DHC-6 Series 400 Twin Otter | 1 | — | 0 | 19 | 19 | |
| Short 360-300 | 1 | — | 0 | 36 | 36 | |
| Total | 9 | 1 | ||||
Retired
Air Seychelles has previously operated these aircraft.| Aircraft | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300B4 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
1 | Leased from Air France Air France Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance... |
| Boeing 707-320 Boeing 707 The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on... |
2 | Leased from Varig Varig VARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline... |
| Boeing 727-200 Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced... |
1 | Leased from Nationwide Airlines Nationwide Airlines Nationwide Airlines was an airline based in Lanseria, South Africa. It operated scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.... |
| Boeing 737-700NG Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
1 | Leased from ILFC |
| Boeing 757-200 Boeing 757 The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration... |
1 | Leased from ILFC |
| Boeing 767-207EM Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
1 | Leased from XL Airways UK |
| Boeing 767-200ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
3 | Leased from ILFC |
| Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
6 | Leased from Ansett Worldwide, Nationwide Airlines Nationwide Airlines Nationwide Airlines was an airline based in Lanseria, South Africa. It operated scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.... , LOT Polish Airlines LOT Polish Airlines Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. , trading as LOT Polish Airlines, is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe,... , Titan Airways Titan Airways Titan Airways is a British charter airline based at London Stansted Airport, United Kingdom. It operates contract and ad-hoc passenger and freight charters throughout the world and short notice wet-lease charters for scheduled airlines... , Blue Panorama Airlines Blue Panorama Airlines Blue Panorama Airlines S.p.A. is an airline based in Fiumicino, Italy. It is a private airline operating scheduled and charter flights from Italy to various international destinations... and Pullmantur Air Pullmantur Air Pullmantur Air formerly written as Air Pullmantur is a charter airline based in Madrid, Spain. It operates long-haul services to several Caribbean destinations and feeder services for Pullmantur Cruises to Scandinavia from its main base Madrid Barajas International Airport... |
| Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander Britten-Norman Islander The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in... |
2 | Owned and now in storage |
| DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... |
1 | Owned and now in storage |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 McDonnell Douglas DC-10 The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a... |
2 | Leased from British Caledonian British Caledonian British Caledonian was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline, operating out of Gatwick Airport in the 1970s and 1980s... and Martinair Holland Martinair For the American cargo airline, see Martinaire.Martinair Holland N.V., operating as Martinair, is an airline headquartered in the TransPort Building on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands. It operates cargo services to over 50 destinations worldwide. Services... |
| Shorts 360-300 Shorts 360 The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:... |
1 | Sold to an air operator in Israel |
Pearl class
Pearl Class is the name that has been used by the airline for its Business ClassBusiness class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
seats since the start of international operations in 1983. Currently, the seats are not competitive with other Business Class seats on airlines that fly to the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, however there were plans to improve the Pearl Class seats with the arrival of the Boeing 787
Boeing 787
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It seats 210 to 290 passengers, depending on the variant. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use...
in the 2010 to lie-flat seats. With delays in production of the aircraft, the company will begin placing the new Pearl Class seats on their current aircraft during September 2010, as the new aircraft is set to arrive in 2013. The new Pearl Class seats were unveiled earlier in 2010 and will be fitted firstly to the older 767-300ERs, (S7-AHM and S7-ASY). The old Pearl Class seats on these aircraft will replace the ones on the 767-200s which are used on regional routes. The airline is testing out a new portable In-Flight Entertainment
In-flight Entertainment
In-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
(IFE) system in Pearl Class on its commercial routes. Pearl Class seats are available on international routes only and are configured in a 2-2-2 manner.
Economy plus
Seats in Economy Plus are wider and have more legroom than seats in Economy Class. These were offered on regional routes only as a replacement for Pearl Class, which were BangkokSuvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
, Johannesburg, Mauritius and Singapore, for a brief period from December 2007 to September 2008. The airline leased in a Boeing 767-207EM from XL Airways UK to supplement its only two other 767-300ERs, and this was the only aircraft to offer these type of seats of the fleet. With the collapse of the XL Airways UK in September 2008, the aircraft was grounded at Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport
Seychelles International Airport or Aéroport de La Pointe la Rue as it is known locally is located on the island of Mahé, Seychelles near the capital city of Victoria...
and the airline leased in another 767-200 and opted to return to its original Pearl and Economy Class configuration.
Economy class
Economy seats are configured in a 2-3-2 manner on all international routes. The seats have been improved for better passenger comfort over the last years from the 2-4-2 configration by increasing seat width and pitch. The seats are set to be upgraded with the arrival of the Boeing 787Boeing 787
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It seats 210 to 290 passengers, depending on the variant. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use...
, with improvements such as personal video screens.
UK Ministry of Defence
Air Seychelles ended its contract in the third quarter of 2011 with the UK Ministry of Defence to provide service from RAF Brize NortonRAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....
base in Oxfordshire, England, to RAF Ascension Island and then on to RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant is a military base for the Royal Air Force in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The facility is part of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands...
, Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, in the South Atlantic. The contract was to provide the only scheduled air link, commonly known as the South Atlantic air bridge, from mainland UK to Ascension
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
and the Falklands.
The airline was due to make its final flight to the Falkland Islands on 2 September, 2011, according to a press report .
British charter Airline Titan Airways
Titan Airways
Titan Airways is a British charter airline based at London Stansted Airport, United Kingdom. It operates contract and ad-hoc passenger and freight charters throughout the world and short notice wet-lease charters for scheduled airlines...
has now taken over the contract for twelve months to commence on 4 September .
Air Seychelles announced in January 2010 that it had begun operations to the Falklands as part of a contract with the Ministry of Defence. Air Seychelles successfully bid for it after the ministry had to seek a replacement for the previous operator, which went bankrupt. Several other airlines also bid for the contract, but Air Seychelles was successful due to its experience of flying 767s and of island locations.
Air Seychelles was considered the best choice as it is one of the world’s most experienced Boeing 767 operators with over 20 years of extended-range operations. So the operation could be effectively carried out, one of the airline's five 767s, a Boeing 767-300ER, was to have been permanently based in the UK to fly the twice-weekly service to Ascension and onwards to the Falklands. Crews were positioned in Ascension and the UK.
Restructuring
Air Seychelles plans to restructure and reposition itself as a regional carrier. Air Seychelles will enter into code share agreements with Etihad Airways and other airlines as the business requires for the uptake of passengers affected by the discontinued routes and seats vacated by Air Seychelles. Source: Seychelles Nation 18 Nov 2011.Incidents and accidents
In December 2007 an Air Seychelles Boeing 767-300ER, S7-AHM 'Vallée de Mai', suffered heavy damage after being towed into a barrier fence by a tow truck at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.The repair was filmed and was aired on National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
in an episode of 'The World's Toughest Fixes'
World's Toughest Fixes
World's Toughest Fixes is an American reality series that premiered on the National Geographic Channel on September 28, 2008. It features Sean Riley participating in various "tough fixes"; repairs and renovations done on equipment that is very large or dangerous...
: 'Airline ER'.