SEYCHELLES CIVIL AVIATION IN DISCUSSIONS WITH ABU DHABI COUNTERPARTS ON AIRPORT UPGRADE
(Posted 26th June 2015)
It was reliably learned that the ongoing airport upgrade and modernization on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe may reach a new dimension, as the SCAA is apparently engaged in talks with their counterparts in Abu Dhabi to widen the scope, not only to expand the present facility but to perhaps add a second international airport to the north of the present airport, though the source was adamant to point out that no decision has been taken as yet.
Under the current expansion programme, financed internally by the SCAA, is a new domestic terminal under construction, aimed to provide state of the art facilities for passengers flying on Air Seychelles scheduled flights to Praslin or on charter services to other islands
Also expanded was the existing apron and parking spaces to accommodate a growing number of private jets bringing captains of industry, movie and music stars and generally the rich and famous to the Seychelles. Last year was a dedicated VIP passenger handling building commissioned where such private jet passengers are handled. Expanded cargo facilities too have been created to cater for the growing volume of air cargo arriving in the Seychelles.
It is understood from the source, who wishes to remain unnamed, that Mr. Joel Morgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, reacted to media reports published earlier in the week in the UAE, about a deal having already been inked to build a new airport. He confirmed that talks have been ongoing for the past three years and this time frame would also coincide with Etihad, Abu Dhabi’s national airline, having taken a 40 percent equity stake in national airline Air Seychelles.
Minister Morgan, as reported here a few weeks ago, during a site visit to the airport, when he inspected progress on various ongoing construction, said that a five star destination needed a five star airport and few would argue with him on that, certainly not the archipelago’s tourism and hospitality industry.
