Air Seychelles has announced that it will be increasing flights to Johannesburg, Male and Mumbai next month.

The national airline will be introducing a fourth weekly flight to Johannesburg linking with a second flight frequency to Male and Mumbai as from November 7, 2003.

A spokesman from Air Seychelles’ Corporate Strategy Department said: “The South African market is growing and an additional flight will definitely promote growth."

By increasing the frequency to four flights per week, the second Johannesburg flight will connect to the second Male – Mumbai flight and thus provide an increased frequency and better convenience to passengers connecting from Johannesburg to the Maldives.

At the same time, the airline will be providing direct consumers and tour operators with the possibility in offering shorter holiday packages to these destinations.

The South African market has shown a 20 per cent increase in visitors to Seychelles from January to July 2003 compared to the same period last year.

The introduction of a second flight to Mumbai will contribute towards the growth of the Indian market and is aimed at increasing the utilisation of the B737 aircraft to a record level. This will assist in spreading fixed costs and improving the profitability of the B737 network.

The additional flight to Male and Mumbai will depart on Thursdays at 1805hours and returns at 0755hours on Friday mornings.

South African tourists arriving from Johannesburg on Thursdays will now be able to connect on the same day to Male for a diving and surfing holiday.

On the south-bound sector, the fourth flight to Johannesburg departs on Fridays at 0905hours and returns at 2020hours later on during the evening.

LINKS