The Italian airline Blue Panorama landed at the Seychelles International Airport early yesterday, inaugurating its weekly service to the Seychelles – direct from Milan and Rome.

As for all inaugural flights, the 767-300 aircraft received a water canon salute from the Fire Services.

Disembarking were 121 passengers, including several Seychellois residing in Italy. The ladies were each presented with a rose as a token of welcome by female employees of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB).

To greet the Blue Panorama flight were the chief executive of STB, Alain St Ange, his deputy Elsia Grandcourt, as well as the chairman of the SCAA (Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority) Capt David Savy and its chief executive Gilbert Faure.

Another charter also arrived in the afternoon from Budapest with about 100 passengers from Eastern Europe. This Hungarian charter airline had stopped in the Kenyan port of Mombassa disembarking some 100 other travellers before coming here.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737, is operating on  a “one-off” basis and will come to Seychelles as and when it can secure a full load of passengers.

Blue Panorama will continue operating weekly flights from Italy to Seychelles until July, when the service will be increased to twice weekly.

Blue Panorama has a strategic partnership with Italy’s national carrier, Alitalia, which ensures a wide network in Europe.  

Forrás: www.nation.sc