OUTGOING AIR SEYCHELLES CEO RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL THANKS
(Posted 28th February 2014)
Cramer Ball, and his successor Manoj Papa who will take over on the 01st of April, were yesterday invited to State House in Victoria for a meeting with President James Alix Michel.
The president, in his State of the Nation Address a day earlier, had made reference to the miraculous turnaround of Air Seychelles fortunes, and was able to discuss the future of the archipelago’s national airline with both outgoing and incoming CEO. Also present was the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, who also serves as the Air Seychelles Chairman of the Board of Directors.
From information received late yesterday, President Michel thanked Cramer Ball for his achievements over the past two years, calling the work done a ‘great job’, clearly in reference of turning around three years of losses into two consecutive years of profit, a consolidation of destinations and a sharp rise in code share operations and last but not least a complete fleet restructuring including orders for three brand new short haul Twin Otter’s DHC6-400 and an Airbus A320 due for delivery later this year. The crowning accomplishment though must be the Skytrax ranking as a four star airline, which catapulted Air Seychelles to the top of the pack in Africa.
Cramer Ball thanked the President for his support and his vision to bring changes to the airline when he said: ‘There have been some incredible moments, and I’m very proud to say, as the outgoing CEO, that I’ve been part of a wonderful team, a wonderful family with the Air Seychelles team…Air Seychelles has a huge opportunity and a very bright future’.
President Michel also welcomed the incoming CEO Manoj Papa to the Seychelles and expressed confidence that he would create new partnerships for the national airline in order to expand its routes and consolidate its achievements so far.
‘I’m quite excited to pick up on the results of the team. The results, the turnaround has been amazing and I think the challenge for me and my team is to build that to the next level. Although we are a four star airline, we need to behave like a five star airline in everything that we do. We have the chance of positioning ourselves as the best airline in Africa and as we grow, globally’ responded Mr. Papa to the President’s remarks.
Air Seychelles partners with Etihad, Abu Dhabi’s national airline, which acquired a 40 percent stake just over 2 years ago when President Michel initiated the deal during one of his visits to Abu Dhabi. For more information visit www.airseychelles.com
