AIR SEYCHELLES SET TO GO TO HONG KONG RATHER THAN BEIJING
While in the Seychelles it was learned, that national carrier Air Seychelles, now flying in partnership with Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi, will very likely fly to Hong Kong come February 2013, when the delivery of the airlines second Airbus A330 has been completed. Initially thought to be destination Beijing, Chinas capital city, the planned three flights per week will according to a regular aviation source in Victoria be shifted to Hong Kong where a greater tourism potential exists with a huge catchment area on the mainland and easy connections then via HKG. This change is also supported by the Seychelles Tourist Board, which has been working the Hong Kong market relentlessly as part of developing the Chinese market, which has in recent years doubled literally on a year by year basis as a result of showcasing the archipelago.
The same source also intimated that the flights might route via Abu Dhabi, which at least for the period of the route development towards anticipated loadfactors would add a level of added viability to the new service, financially hugely important of course for the airline, which seems set to meet budgetary targets following a sharpish restructuring over the past year before Etihad came on board as a 40 percent shareholder. Flying the Creole Spirit into the wide world to bring the world to the Seychelles.
While in Victoria it could also be established that the wetleased Etihad A320 will for the time being continue to serve the route to Mauritius, although considerations are clearly underway to seek out additional African mainland and even Indian Ocean island destinations to connect the Seychelles yet better to her neighbours. Watch this space.
