A successful Air Seychelles airline may be in trouble in 2018, even though in May of 2016 Air Seychelles has been a profitable company for the fourth consecutive year, this in spite of challenges and what has been termed as turbulence in the aviation jargon.
On Monday it’s expected 96 devoted Air Seychelles Cabin Crew are to be made redundant and they will be joined by another 70 odd staff members from other departments. Letters of redundancy are expected to be issued on Monday. The National Airline’s marketing department has also been closed. No explanations or excuses can mitigate the pain and suffering of these staff members and the disappointment of the Seychelles Tourism Industry.
For the year 2015, the national airline has recorded a profit of US $2.1 million, from total revenue of US $105.4 million.
The figures were revealed by the chairman of the Air Seychelles board Joel Morgan who is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport in May of 2016.
Tourism is healthy in Seychelles, and air links are expanding, the national carrier is feeling the turbulence most likely caused by Air Berlin, Alitalia and consequently to their main investor UAE based Etihad Airways.
A few months ago, this publication raised concerns regarding the move by Etihad Airways to distance Air Seychelles from the airline. The Seychelles Government, as the major shareholder of Air Seychelles, approved this move and even went as far as saying it would not change anything.
Seychelles based Saint Ange Tourism Report met with a number of the staff members who are being made redundant, who said they felt that their years of devotion and loyalty to the National Airline meant nothing/ They felt they had been unceremoniously kicked to the curb. It was questioned whether foreign staff members had will be asked to leave.
