Hopes of higher heights for Air Seychelles |01 February 2021

Will Air Seychelles be allowed to soar to higher heights?

By Laura Pillay

It looks as though the dark clouds that have been looming over cash-strapped national carrier Air Seychelles might soon be lifted as the National Assembly gears up for debates on the airline’s future during Tuesday’s sitting.

Ahead of the debates, members of the National Assembly (MNAs) on Saturday morning met with high-ranking officials from the company, at ICCS, and are said to be satisfied with the plans laid out by the company for a brighter future.

The three-hour long meeting, saw presentations by officials who provided more information as to the financial difficulties the company is faced with, and the strategy for pulling the company back to safety in future.

It must be noted, President Wavel Ramkalawan during the State-of-the-nation address (Sona) on January 22, looked to the assembly to debate on the matter, prior to a final decision being taken as to the future of the airline.

In his address, President Ramkalawan also questioned the relevance in focusing only on domestic routes and ground handling services, and eliminating the most cost-guzzling international flights portfolio.  

Following Saturday’s meeting, leader of the opposition (LOTO) Sebastien Pillay said it was important that government also consult the assembly and stakeholders prior to a decision being taken, adding that representatives of Air Seychelles, during the meeting, presented themselves as an entity with plans on how to save the airline and for continued development.

“I will stand for the employees of Air Seychelles. I do not want that anyone from Air Seychelles lose their employment. And I think today, what happened in the meeting, is that Air Seychelles has come as an entity, as one, it tried to present its position, and how it can get the company to function and to develop,” said Mr Pillay.

“I think Seychellois need to understand something, when you take a bird and you clip one of its wings, you snatch away its liberty. Air Seychelles is to us, much more than an airline company. And I think today, we have come to understand why Air Seychelles is important, not just from a strategic or patriotic perspective, but also from an economic and even strategic, in the sense that, as we have always talked about a situation whereby all the other airlines stop flying in, and Covid-19 has shown us this, and you need to have a way to have access to the external world. So, I think it has been necessary, and has helped us to learn a lot of information,” added Mr Pillay.

Mr Pillay went on to note that he would personally be disappointed if government had already reached a verdict prior to debates and consultation, and additional presentations by Air Seychelles officials during Tuesday’s sitting, and that he remains hopeful that the company can be saved and the jobs of many Seychellois, should government hear them out.

Similarly, leader of government business (LGB) Bernard Georges said there are positive possibilities for Air Seychelles, and that with good management, there is space for Air Seychelles in the country’s economy.

“I think the meeting was really positive, and it was absolutely necessary because as the President requested the assembly to debate on the matter, it was therefore important for the assembly to get maximum information, before we can debate. Therefore, I find the arrangement that was done this morning for the HM to talk to us, very very useful. We got a lot of information, exchange some perceptions that some of us had, and it has been a very productive meeting,” Mr Georges said.

“I do not want to preamp what will be raised in the debates in the National Assembly as it will not be right. I think all members need to listen to presentations that will take place, and debate in a clear and transparent manner, but I see a lot of possibilities, positive possibilities and not negative possibilities. I think with good management, there is a place, an important place for Air Seychelles in Seychelles’ economy,” added Mr Georges.

The assembly is expected to tackle the matter on Tuesday (tomorrow). The Air Seychelles debt to foreign bondholders and R109 million for staff salaries is expected to be a component of the 2021 budget appropriation bill.

Laura Pillay