BA checks out

The last call for flight BA088 will be made on Sunday June 27, at the international airport as British Airways final flight jets out of Seychelles.

The departure of the June 27 flight marks the end of the BA service to Seychelles and BA's East African partner airline, Regional Air, is still believed to be some months from stepping into the breach.

The last BA flight leaves Kenyan expatriates living in Seychelles and Seychellois wishing to holiday in Kenya with no way of getting to Nairobi without paying in foreign currency, following Kenya Airways recent announcement that it will no longer accept Rupees for ticket sales.

Transport Ministry Principal Secretary Gerard Lafortune explained that Regional Air has had to upgrade their aircraft to meet safety requirements for lengthy over water journeys.

"It will take some time to equip their aircraft. This will lead to a delay of several months, but it still looks set to go ahead," said PS Lafortune.

He also said that there is no guarantee that the Nairobi based airline will definitely choose to operate the route.

From the point of view of air safety PS Lafortune said that as long as Regional Air meets all necessary international safety requirements the airline will be able to fly to Seychelles.

In terms of the legal framework for landing in Seychelles, the Air Services Agreement, PS Lafortune said that, as BA's partner airline, there is no barrier to Regional Air flying to Seychelles.

Despite the departure of the final BA flight the airline's travel shop in Victoria will remain open for the foreseeable future.

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