On March 19th, Air Seychelles took delivery of another Airbus A320neo aircraft. This makes it the second A320neo in its fleet. Registered as S7-PTI, this aircraft is part of Air Seychelles' fleet renewal strategy.

Air Seychelles takes second Airbus A320neo

On Friday, March 20th, the airline announced that it had received its second Airbus A320neo. The first A320neo was delivered in 2019. The aircraft landed in the Seychelles on the evening of March 19th. The delivery flight left Hamburg for Seychelles with a stop in Abu Dhabi for refueling.

Onboard the flight were six staff from the Air Seychelles' Technical Operations department and two members from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority. These members went to Hamburg for the final inspection and delivery of the aircraft. Back in February, Head of Cabin Operations, Francisca Moonsammy, and Manager of Cabin Safety Standards, Magdalena Hubert, were in Hamburg to conduct an inspection and check of the aircraft configuration.

Air Seychelles sent two employees to Hamburg to verify the interior configuration. Photo: Air Seychelles

The delivery of S7-PTI

This Airbus A320neo is registered as S7-PTI. However, Air Seychelles named the aircraft Pti Merl Dezil. The airline does have A320ceo aircraft in its fleet as well. While the current A320ceo features 136 seats, the A320neos have 168 seats.

Air Seychelles a320neo
The newest A320neo, Pti Merl Dezil, in Air Seychelles' fleet. Photo: Air Seychelles

A joyous moment amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Hanging over this delivery was an acknowledgment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cognizant of this, the airline took steps with the Department of Health to minimize the risk of infection to staff in Hamburg. And, after returning to the Seychelles, the team was put under quarantine for 14 days.

Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, Remco Althuis, had the following to say on this delivery:

COVID-19 was non-existent when S7-PTI was ordered 18 months ago and we do understand that right now it is a critical time for all airlines globally, including for Air Seychelles. As the older plane is leaving the fleet, having a new generation of fuel efficient aircraft is very important in order to safeguard the economic operations once the business resumes back to normal.

Air Seychelles
The A320neo allows Air Seychelles to increase passenger capacity compared to existing A320ceo aircraft. Photo: Getty Images

In putting the aircraft to use, the carrier indicated that it would work to maintain strategic air links to the Seychelles. This includes ensuring that the Seychelles can still receive critical supplies. In addition, the aircraft will be available for necessary repatriation flights.

About Air Seychelles

While not a large carrier, the flag carrier of the Seychelles celebrated a momentous occasion with the delivery of this new Airbus A320neo. The airline offers flights to a variety of destinations including Johannesburg, the Mauritius, Mumbai, and Tel Aviv. In addition, the airline offers domestic flights with its Viking Air DHC-6-400 Twin Otter aircraft. UAE carrier Etihad Airways has a 40% stake in Air Seychelles.

Air Seychelles
Air Seychelles uses Twin Otter aircraft for domestic connections. Photo: Air Seychelles

Overall

As Air Seychelles grapples with reduced travel demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline celebrated the arrival of this brand new Airbus A320neo. This aircraft is more fuel-efficient and has a greater capacity than current A320ceo aircraft allowing the carrier to take on more passengers once the situation improves.

What do you think of Air Seychelles' new Airbus A320neo? Let us know in the comments!