Condor Airlines resumes seasonal flights to Seychelles with enhanced service |02 October 2023
Visitors disembarking from the new-look Condor aircraft
After temporarily halting operations since April 2023, Condor Airlines resumed seasonal flights to Seychelles on Saturday morning.
The debut flight, carrying 305 passengers, is approximately a month ahead of the usual schedule, setting a positive tone for the upcoming winter season.
Boasting a new innovative aircraft, the Airbus A330Neo-900, travellers flying between Frankfurt and Seychelles can expect innovative enhancements designed for exceptional efficiency, and the highest levels of comfort. With the option to choose from Business, Premium Economy, or Economy Class, passengers can enjoy the latest generation of in-flight entertainment and connectivity, regardless of their booking class.
Chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Garry Albert, expressed that Condor Airlines’ elevated service is in line with SCAA’s commitment to delivering an elevated service on this route, aiming for service excellence and top-tier customer experience.
“When passengers disembark in Seychelles from the steps of the aircraft, they are in awe of the beauty of our sea view and picturesque mountainside. We need to nurture this by ensuring a smooth arrival, so they can start their holidays on a good note. This is the elevated experience our customers seek, and we want to exceed expectations. After all the airport is the gateway to our island paradise,” Mr Albert stated.
Condor Airlines will operate one weekly flight, departing Frankfurt at 1745 (local time Germany) every Friday, arriving in Seychelles at 0545 (local time Seychelles, every Saturday. The return flight from Seychelles will depart at 2330 (local time Seychelles) every Saturday, and arrive in Frankfurt on Sunday at 0745 (local time Germany). This schedule is expected to continue until the end of the winter season in March 2024.
General manager commercial at SCAA, Florence Marengo, welcomed Condor's return, seeing it as a positive development for the tourism industry and a sign of air access improvements.
With Condor's return, Seychelles is expected to attract even more German visitors, building upon the over 20,000 recorded since 2019.
“Condor has been operating in Seychelles since 1991 and it is always a pleasure to see its return. The addition of this Frankfurt-Seychelles route for the season, and a brand-new aircraft with a higher carrying capacity, is instrumental to tourism growth and pivotal as we continue to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a positive development for the industry, it is proof of air access advances and service improvements,” Ms Marengo stated.
Over the past three years starting from 2021, the average seat occupancy factor has steadily increased from 63 percent to 78 percent, and finally to 97 percent.
The new A330Neo-900 has a seating capacity of 310 passengers per flight, a significant increase compared to the Boeing 767 previously operating the route. The Boeing 767 is now being phased out for Condor's long-haul flights.
In addition to Condor Airlines, Edelweiss Airline returned to Seychelles yesterday, while Turkish Airlines is set to make its return towards the end of October.
Laura Pillay
Photos by Joena Meme
