(Posted 19th March 2026)
Starting on the 28th of March will Air Seychelles add a twice weekly service to and from Rome.
This comes in addition to an earlier announcement made that from 20th of March the airline will start to operate thrice weekly flights to and from Paris.
The move is seen as a reaction to the lack of flights by key Middle East Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad to and from Mahe as a result of ongoing airspace closures and subsequent operations challenges due to the ongoing war between the United States and Israel with Iran.
Wrote the airline in a media release:
Air Seychelles is pleased to announce the launch of a new service to Rome (FCO) as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen air connectivity between Seychelles and its key European source markets. The introduction of this route comes at a critical time for the tourism industry and aims to ensure continued and reliable access for travellers to and from Seychelles.
The twice weekly service will begin on 28 March, operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The route will be operated using the airline’s Airbus A320neo aircraft and will include a short technical stop in Hurghada.
Italy has long been among Seychelles’ most important tourism source markets in Europe, consistently contributing a significant share of visitor arrivals to the destination. Maintaining strong and reliable air links with this market is particularly important at this time, as global travel patterns continue to be affected by the ongoing conflict in the region, which has led to the closure of parts of Gulf airspace and the temporary suspension of services by several major Gulf carriers that traditionally provide key connections to Seychelles.
Against this backdrop, the launch of the Rome service represents an important measure to ensure that travellers from continental Europe can continue to access Seychelles within reasonable travel times and with dependable connections. Sustaining access to these markets remains vital for supporting hotels, tourism operators, and the wider economy during a period when the destination is experiencing a slowdown in visitor numbers.
Similar to the recently announced non-stop service to Paris Charles de Gaulle, the introduction of this new European connection follows close collaboration between the Government of Seychelles and key stakeholders to safeguard the country’s air connectivity at a time when access to the region has been significantly impacted. These efforts are intended to facilitate travel to Seychelles and provide much-needed support to the tourism sector during a particularly challenging period.
Air Seychelles wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the Government of Seychelles, the Ministry of Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, the Seychelles Airports Authority, and all other partners and stakeholders for their continued collaboration, support, and commitment in making these new services possible.
Through these joint efforts, the airline remains committed to ensuring that Seychelles stays connected to its principal international markets and to contributing to the recovery and long-term growth of the country’s tourism industry.
The flights will operate as per the below schedule: All times in Local Time on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Bookings will be accessible via the airline’s website at www.airseychelles.com, through the Guest Contact Centres on Mahé and Praslin, as well as through travel agents.
