AIR SEYCHELLES ANNOUNCES REDUCTION OF FLIGHTS TO PARIS AND PULL OUT FROM DUSSELDORF
(Posted 31st July 2017)
Air Seychelles’ decision to reduce their nonstop flights between Mahe and Paris from the present four services per week to three already from September while Duesseldorf flights will be axed altogether has thrown a spanner in the works of many tourism stakeholders banking on an increased flow of tourists from these two destinations.
Said Neil Kinnear, the CEO of Air Seychelles, when making the announcement about dropping Dusseldorf, just months after launching the route and following a similar development for the airline’s Durban flights: ‘We have made the difficult decision to suspend flying to Düsseldorf after an in-depth review of the route showed that the service is unsustainable.
Given the high number of airlines operating or offering connectivity out of Germany, the seasonal nature of the route where peak travel periods are outweighed by low demand during the off-peak season, the extremely competitive levels of fares and existing fuel prices, it is not viable for us to continue serving the market at this point in time. In addition, the volume of connecting traffic from our partner airlines over Düsseldorf has not lived up to expectations, making it harder to sustain the necessary passenger loads to meet our commercial objectives. Germany is an important tourism market for Seychelles and we will continue to work with our codeshare partners to offer excellent one-stop connections via Paris with Air France and via Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways‘.
Kinnear then continued to explain the rationale behind the reduction of nonstop Paris flights when he added: ‘As a result of the weakened demand for air travel out of France, we have also taken the commercial decision to reduce our Paris service from four to three flights per week. While passenger numbers are strong during the summer months of July and August, the declining demand as we enter the off-peak season in September does not provide the required level of support for our fourth frequency going forward, which operates mid-week on Tuesdays/Wednesdays. The route will continue to be operated with a two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with flights operating on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays out of Seychelles and on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays out of Paris‘.
Jean Weeling – Lee, Chairman of Air Seychelles, then added his own voice when he said: ‘Due to year on year increase of cost of fuel, an extremely competitive aviation market in Europe, and the high number of significant airlines already serving Seychelles though their connecting hubs, it unfortunately results in Air Seychelles being forced to consolidate these services‘.
Any passengers already booked beyond the dates given will be rebooked or refunded. Said the airline’s website:
· Guests holding tickets on Dusseldorf flights after 8 September, 2017 are invited to visit Air Seychelles websitecallcenter or contact their Travel Agent.
· Guests holding tickets on Paris flights departing from Seychelles on Tuesdays and from Paris on Wednesdays after 6 September, 2017 are invited to visit Air Seychelles website contactcenter or contact their Travel Agent.
