Air Seychelles has enjoyed a turnaround in fortunes thanks to its collaboration with Etihad Airways. It is now embarking on an ambitious plan to build its Mahé home into a regional hub, as Sebastian Schmitz found out.
Ask people to list their dream holiday destinations and there is a good chance the Seychelles will appear at or near the top, and rightly so. The archipelago, and in particular the main island of Mahé, boasts some of the world’s finest sandy beaches, beautiful scenery and Creole culture. It also offers a wide variety of activities: you can go snorkelling, hiking, swimming, sailing, exploring the rainforest, indulging in the delicious local cuisine or simply relaxing, which is, after all, what most people visit the islands to do.
Going it Alone
When the Seychelles gained independence from Britain in 1976, it was decided the archipelago needed its own airline, not only to facilitate quick travel between the different islands but also to establish connections with the rest of the world.
Two small carriers, Air Mahé and Inter-Island Airways, were merged by the government in 1977 to form Seychelles Airlines which adopted its present name, Air Seychelles, the following year. Initially Air Seych…
