Seychelles welcomed the first flight of Austrian Airline yesterday
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Press release from 27.10.2017
Die Seychellen begrüßten gestern den ersten Flug der Austrian Airline, der um 8.49 Uhr am internationalen Flughafen Pointe Larue landete.
The Boeing 767, fully booked with 214 passengers, was greeted with the usual water cannons on arrival.
The inaugural flight opened with a red carpet ribbon cutting ceremony, where passengers were entertained with traditional music and dance.
Das Flugzeug benötigte 9 Stunden nonstop, um von Österreich auf die Seychellen zu fliegen.
Austrian Airline will operate the direct weekly flight to the Seychelles from Vienna every Thursday during the winter season. It will leave Austria every Wednesday and arrive in the Seychelles every Thursday morning. It will leave the Seychelles on the same day.
Austrian Airline flies to Seychelles, following initial arrangements and discussions in 2014, which led to the signing of the Air Transport Agreement between the Republic of Seychelles and the Austrian Federal Government in May this year.
The Austrian Airline, which belongs to the Lufthansa German Airlines group, is the third direct non-stop flight between Europe and the Seychelles, following Air Seychelles' three non-stop flights to Paris and Condor's two non-stop flights to Frankfurt.
Also present at Seychelles International Airport were the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Lufthansa Group General Manager Sales for the African Region Tobias Ernst, Tourism Chief Anne Lafortune, Secretary General for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Garry Albert, Chairman of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAAA) David Savy, SC.
Captain Martin Hoblik. The Austrian Airline captain, accompanied by two female crew members, was the first to leave the aircraft and they were greeted by VIP officials.
Minister Loustau-Lalanne and Ernst cut the ribbon to open the flight.
After a photo session, the VIPs went to the VIP lounge for the welcome ceremony and cake cutting.
Minister Lalanne said the airline's arrival in Seychelles was cause for celebration.
The first is that the airline has made history as the first Austrian inaugural flight to Seychelles and the second is the celebration of 40 years of excellent diplomatic relations between Seychelles and Austria, confirmed by the arrival of the inaugural flight, " said Minister Loustau-Lalanne.
He said that since January, 5759 Austrian visitors have visited Seychelles, an increase of 40% compared to the same period last year.
Another reason to celebrate is that Air Seychelles started its international operations 34 years ago on 26 October 1983. So it is a great double celebration that Air Seychelles has been flying internationally for 34 years today, which is an incredible achievement. Finally, we also have to celebrate because today (26 October) is a very auspicious day as it is also Austria's national day, " said Minister Loustau-Lalanne, who had earlier said he would have liked to make a toast but was not in a diplomatic context.
He praised and congratulated the airline for helping to fill an important gap in the European high-end tourism market.
Mr. Ernst of the Lufthansa Group, representing the General Manager of Austrian Airline, Kay Kratky, who could not come, thanked everyone for welcoming him to the flight and said: "Austrian Airline has today opened Seychelles, its fourth new destination this year, focusing on the high-end tourism that is so important for this beautiful country, and I can say from my own experience that this country has everything that tourists from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Europe want".
He described the Seychelles as the new cherry among Austrian Airline's destination flights. Austrian Airline's three other new destinations are Mauritius, Colombo and Havana.
The ceremony ended with the cutting of a commemorative cake by Minister Loustau-Lalanne and Mr Ernst and later the VIPs were escorted on a tour of the aircraft.
The Boeing 767 later left Seychelles for Vienna without any passengers as the arriving visitors will enjoy the whole week until the second flight on Thursday next week.
Passengers wishing to fly Austrian Airline can do so online at AustrianAirlines.com book.
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