The national airline of the Republic of Seychelles is launching flights to its first destination in Central Asia. Air Seychelles will launch a new route to Almaty, Kazakhstan, this winter. The twice-weekly seasonal service begins next month and will operate until March 2023.

The inaugural flight will depart Almaty on December 26th, arriving in Mahe on December 27th at 07:00. The new service is the first route launched by Air Seychelles since the pandemic. It will be the first link between the two countries. Air Seychelles Chief Commercial Officer, Charles Johnson, expressed his excitement at the announcement and what it means for Seychelles:

“We’re extremely proud to announce our first new destination after the Covid pandemic. With the recent signing of a new bilateral agreement between the two countries, this route will open the door to Kazakhs wanting to explore Seychelles and other islands in the Indian Ocean."

"It also marks the first time Air Seychelles will be flying to Central Asia, which offers a growing leisure tourism market that will surely love the award winning beaches and rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises that Seychelles has to offer.”

When are the flights?

The flights will depart from Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), also known as Aéroport de la Pointe Larue in French, located near the capital of Victoria on Mahé. The carrier will use one of its two Airbus A320neos, configured with 12 seats in business class and 156 seats in Economy. The twice-weekly seasonal service begins on December 26th and will operate until March 27th, 2023. The airline has also announced additional flights for the peak festive season in December and March.

Flights will operate with a brief technical stop in Abu Dhabi, the home of former shareholder Etihad. The Seychelles Government paid $1 last year to take on the Middle Eastern Carrier's 40% stake in the airline and negotiated a favorable debt repayment plan with Etihad.

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Why Kazakhstan?

The flights to Almaty are the results of a meeting held at the 41st session of the ICAO Assembly held in Montreal, Canada, between a Kazakh delegation and aviation authorities of the Republic of Seychelles. The destination had been considered for several years due to Almaty's status regional commercial hub for surrounding countries and the potential for inbound tourism during the peak of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Sandy Benoiton, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, highlighted the potential for the service to expand:

“After studying Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region for many years, we’re thrilled to be able to launch our initial service into Almaty on a seasonal basis. Kazakhs have discovered Maldives in the last few years and now are eager to explore other parts of the Indian Ocean region."

"We look forward to welcoming the first flight during the festive season and will be constantly evaluating the performance so we can increase flights based on demand.”

Beach driven demand

The seasonal service will also bring tourists from Central Asia to other destinations in the Indian Ocean. Air Seychelles passengers can continue to connecting destinations, including Mauritius, Maldives, and Johannesburg. The Seychelles archipelago, which comprises 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, is known for its gorgeous beaches, tropical weather, and exotic wildlife.

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Air Seychelles resumed fights earlier this year to a range of destinations with its fleet of two Airbus A320neos. Domestic connections are available to Praslin, the second largest island in the archipelago, along with various charters to other islands with its five de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. The nation's Minister for Transport, Mr. Anthony Derjacques highlighted the boost for the local economy the new route brings:

“We are proud to see Air Seychelles bring its award-winning services to Kazakhstan, adding one more powerful tourism market to its growing network. Our national airline is delivering on its mandate to be a key economic enabler, boosting tourism and trade, and creating jobs."

"The new service strengthens the warm relations that have developed between Seychelles and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and we look with eagerness to seeing visitors from Kazakhstan enjoying our splendid beaches for their next holiday.”

The airline has seen a substantial recovery from the pandemic and announced it exited administration earlier in November after only 13 months.