Business community urged to use cargo terminal to avoid the R500 processing fee |25 November 2023

The press conference: (l to r) Mrs Pascal, Mr Barrack, Mr Lebon and Mr Albert

Starting January 15, 2024, individuals arriving at the Seychelles International Airport with commercial cargo will be subject to a fee of R500 per luggage piece.

The Cabinet, in its meeting on November 15, sanctioned the timeline for the implementation of a revised cargo handling procedure at the passenger terminal. This procedure is specifically targeted at passengers arriving with commercial cargo. A new fee of R500 per accompanied piece of luggage will be introduced, reflecting the services provided. During the initial phase, key stakeholders will closely monitor and adjust the procedure as needed to ensure a seamless processing experience at the terminal.

Business travellers is strongly encouraged to use cargo services instead of the passenger terminal when transporting quantities exceeding the prescribed personal allowances. This recommendation comes as a response to a new regulation announced by the principal secretary for Trade, Francis Lebon, in conjunction with the chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Garry Albert.

PS Lebon, during an official statement to the press, emphasised that the introduction of the R500 fee is intended to discourage the practice of business individuals bringing substantial cargo through the passenger terminal, which contributes to congestion at the airport.

“The passenger terminal is exclusively designed for handling passengers and their personal luggage, whereas the cargo terminal is designated for commercial cargo. During last year alone, there were 5,248 pieces of commercial cargo passing through the passenger terminal, a figure deemed excessively high,” shared PS Lebon.

He added it put the border control and national security in danger and it is challenging for customs officers, putting pressure on them to perform risk assessments and profiling individuals entering the country with potentially illegal or restricted items,” shared PS Lebon.

PS Lebon reassured the public that the R500 fee, endorsed by the cabinet of ministers, will not impact regular passengers arriving in Seychelles for holiday or business purposes. The fee is explicitly designed for commercial cargo entering the country via the airport's arrival terminal, excluding luggage processed directly through the Air Seychelles cargo terminal.

SCAA’s chief executive, Gary Albert, said individuals transporting large quantities of commercial baggage cause major congestion within the arrival lounge. “This unfortunately ends up causing delays for travellers with connecting flights, and they have to wait over an hour for their luggage to be inspected due to the backlog created by those with excessive bags,” he said.

Mr Albert emphasised that adherence to international aviation standards, such as those set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), is crucial. ICAO recommends that passengers exit the airport within an average of 45 minutes after the plane has landed. However, due to congestion caused by commercial cargo, this timeframe is sometimes extended to two hours.

The highest recorded number of luggage pieces processed through the arrival lounge was 75, according to Mr Albert, prompting the introduction of such measures.

This was echoed by Paul Barrack, the Commissioner of Customs at the Seychelles Revenue Commission, who explained how the situation has significantly impacted their border protection responsibilities. He emphasised the need to redirect commercial issues to the cargo terminal and highlighted the challenges faced in verifying luggage due to space constraints. “Our primary responsibility is safeguarding our borders, particularly regarding incoming passengers. However, we now face the challenge of addressing commercial matters, which ideally should be managed at the cargo terminal. We advise the business community to make use of the pre-lodgment facility in order to facilitate the removal of their cargo,” noted Mr Barrack.

Mr Albert confirmed that no other passenger terminals make provision for commercial cargo and Seychelles will also not do it.

“It is better that people use cargo facility which is also very fast.”

Also present at the press conference was Juliette Pascal, head of Cargo at Air Seychelles.

Vidya Gappy

Photo: Joena Meme