(3 minutes read)
· Seychellois Carol Nalletamby, who owns EAST (Euro African Star Transport) Services cargo and has been living in Europe moved back to the islands, some five months ago, to launch a new airline-Seychelles International Airways (SIA)
· The first flight, an Airbus A330 passenger and freighter, landed last Saturday on the main island Mahe.
· It is expected that the company, which has now introduced the service, would offer competitive rates since presently airfreight is very high and it is uneconomical to export small size cargoes by air
· Air Seychelles, the national airline, does not have a cargo service.
Seychellois Carol Nalletamby, who owns EAST (Euro African Star Transport) Services cargo and has been living in Europe moved back to the islands, some five months ago, to launch a new airline-Seychelles International Airways (SIA). He is a stakeholder in the proposed airline. The first flight, an Airbus A330 passenger and freighter, has landed last Saturday on the main island Mahe.
The aircraft is on a six-week trial period to ascertain its suitability to the cargo requirements and fish exports of Seychelles. Upon testing the suitability, the new airline will zero in an appropriate carrier, which can double as cargo and passenger. As cargo, the aircraft, which will be pressed into service will carry goods, especially fish to the European market. The aircraft-A-330 -has
been chartered from a well known airline company. The aircraft can carry 24 tonnes of cargo and estimated outbound tonnage of 16 tonnes.
COVID-19 had disrupted the cargo delivery in the Indian Ocean archipelago. The number of flights to the island has been reduced significantly. Seychelles International Airways- another airline company- a few months ago announced with much fanfare that it would start its long-haul operations with a first flight to the island nation on September 10 for passengers and cargo. However, this could not materialize due to Covid -19 conditions. It is expected that the company, which has now introduced the service, would offer competitive rates since presently airfreight is very high and it is uneconomical to export small size cargoes by air. . Air Seychelles, the national airline, does not have a cargo service.
