SEYCHELLES AND AUSTRALIA SIGN NEW ENHANCED BILATERAL AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT
The Seychellois Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan and the Australian Minister for Pacific Affairs Richard Marles on Friday signed a new and greatly enhances BASA, aka Bilateral Air Services Agreement, to facilitate improvements in air transport between the two countries and allow for the designation of carriers from each country, as well as permit code share arrangements.
Minister Morgan, also chairman of Air Seychelles, promoted the idea of using Abu Dhabi as a hub for travelers from Australia to connect to the Seychelles, as Etihad, Abu Dhabi’s national airline holds a 40 percent share in Air Seychelles and using code shared operations to bring more visitors from ‘Down Under’ to the Seychelles. Etihad also holds a share in Virgin Australia, making a future cooperation more likely, as Qantas, Australia’s national airline, is now in a close partnership with Emirates from Dubai.
When Air Seychelles commences flights to Hong Kong, due within weeks now, there will be a total of 10 weekly code shared flights between Mahe and Abu Dhabi, up from 7 at present and operated jointly by Etihad and Air Seychelles, giving plenty of opportunity to connect to the archipelago.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Australian High Commissioner and senior staff from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and Air Seychelles.
