AIR SEYCHELLES TECHNICIANS JOIN ETIHAD
Information was confirmed overnight that currently 6, soon to be joined by several more of their colleagues, technicians from the Air Seychelles team are now deployed with Etihad, Abu Dhabis national airline, which earlier this year acquired 40 percent of the shares in the archipelagos national carrier.
The re-deployment is in line with exploiting synergy effects which required the pooling of resources and in some cases the transfer of specific functions from Mahe to Abu Dhabi, so that the cost savings achieved can translate in a vastly improved financial performance by Air Seychelles which was prior to the financial engagement by Etihad bleeding money and had been subjected to a radical cost cutting programme, including the cessation of all their flights to Europe at the start of the year.
During the week was a certification programme for crews, migrating from the B767 to Airbus A320 and A330 models, completed at the Etihad Aviation Academy, making good of commitments made that the airlines staff will have the opportunity to find gainful employment with Etihad, should their positions become redundant at home.
Meanwhile was it also confirmed that further discussions between the two airlines are ongoing for a yet wider code share cooperation which would see Air Seychelles flight numbers to be put on a range of additional destinations across the growing global network of Etihad. Watch this space.
