Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has announced the inauguration of twice-weekly flights from Lagos to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The statement by the company said the service, commencing on December 2, 2014, would mark the next stage of growth in the airline’s regional strategy.
The statement said that the Tanzanian capital would become the third destination in Air Seychelles’ Indian Ocean and African network, after Mauritius and Johannesburg.
It added that the route would be operated using a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats.
The Chief Executive Officer, Air Seychelles, Mr. Manoj Papa, said, “We continue to build strength and depth in our global network, and the addition of Dar es Salaam, one of Africa’s fastest-growing business and tourism destinations, will enhance traffic flow to the Seychelles and beyond, fulfilling our mandate to be a key economic enabler for the Seychelles, supporting tourism and trade.
“These flights will serve as an attractive travel proposition for business and leisure travellers in Tanzania, offering a direct link to our archipelago and convenient onward connections to Abu Dhabi and beyond, including the Indian subcontinent.”
He added that the A320 aircraft will also offer 7.2 tonnes of weekly belly-hold capacity to and from Tanzania, giving a further boost to trade opportunities.
Air Seychelles expects the service to carry a mixture of electronics, machinery and pharmaceuticals into Dar es Salaam, with primarily perishable goods loaded for the return flight.
The Seychelles Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Mr. Joël Morgan, said the new route would support Air Seychelles’aim to improve regional connectivity as well as enhance commerce and leisure travel to the archipelago.
“Dar es Salaam is a great addition to our network. The direct link between the capital of Tanzania and the Seychelles underscores our ongoing commitment to serve the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the airline won two accolades at the World Travel Awards 2014, further enhancing its status as the leading carrier in the Indian Ocean region and beyond.
The airline was awarded the Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Business Class and Indian Ocean’s Leading Cabin Crew.
The statement added that the awards, established in 1993, recognised the very best travel organisations in the world through a global vote by travel professionals from 171 countries.
