Special citizens’ fare on off-peak domestic flights |26 June 2010

The offer, which relates to off-peak times only and depends on the availability of seats, will mean a return trip to Praslin will cost R341 instead of R495, with a one-way flight costing only R168.

The special offer follows concern expressed by residents that domestic flights are often fully booked as many visitors to Seychelles choose to stay on Praslin and La Digue.

As it is now European summertime and Seychelles is one of the favourite holiday destinations for Europeans, flights to Praslin that connect with international arrivals are often booked months in advance, Air Seychelles said.
This has meant that many residents have had to travel by boat at these peak times.

The airline said in a press release that while there is not much it can do about flights that visitors have booked months before, it does recognise that citizens’ needs have to be attended to.

Statistics show that there are times during the day when the domestic flights are not full. As these flights do not connect with any international arrival or departure, Air Seychelles is offering the special fares to encourage the Seychellois public to fly at these times.
 
This way citizens’ needs are met while at the same time visitors get to their destination with the least possible delay, the airline said.

To qualify for this fare, a traveller must show proof of citizenship – a passport or birth certificate but not an identity card. Residents who live here but are not Seychellois nationals do not qualify.
And Air Seychelles is stressing that the special fare depends on the availability of seats and only applies to specific flights.

The airline is encouraging the Seychellois public to contact its sales offices in advance to get the exact dates and times when the special fare is available, so as to avoid any disappointment.

It stresses that there will be no refunds on the special fares for clients who do not show up, or who cancel their flights. Also there are no discounted rates for children on the special fare.

Clients will be able to change their flights and keep the special fare, but only if that fare is applicable on the flight they change to. However, they will have to pay the normal change fee to do so.