AIRBUS FOR AIR SEYCHELLES?
A source from Mahe, close to the airline, has suggested that plans to acquire a new B737-800 single aisle aircraft for the planned services to the other Vanilla Islands, to South Africa and perhaps new destinations on the African mainland are being reviewed since the tie up with Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi was announced and becomes effective on February 01st.
Under serious consideration is now the Airbus A320 for the same purpose, a sign if found correct that the new partnership and management input by Etihad will seek to introduce an aircraft type compatible with their own fleet back home in Abu Dhabi, where the airline operates the A320 family including two A319 and 14 A320s but notably no single aisle Boeing aircraft, although operating 8 B777-300ER besides the 11 A340s and 22 A330s.
Maintenance and training will be standardized of course should the dice fall in favour of Airbus, something now widely favoured by aviation analysts predictions.
The return of the presently used B767-300 is also going ahead as planned and as and when the projected new services to the Far East become effective, they too will be operated by using a new Airbus wide bodied aircraft.
Watch this space as Etihad comes fully on board on Wednesday this week and what changes are in the offing, short, medium and long term.
