Air Seychelles takes home four prestigious World Travel Awards at the 2017 WTA

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has won four top accolades at the 2017 World Travel Awards, including the prestigious title of “Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline” for the third consecutive year.

The carrier also picked up awards for “Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Business Class”, “Indian Ocean’s Leading Cabin Crew” and, for the first time, “Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline Brand”.

The awards were presented to Air Seychelles at a gala ceremony held in the Maldives that was attended by a delegation of senior management led by the Chief Executive Officer, Roy Kinnear.

Ambassador Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marines, congratulated the flag carrier, saying: “We are delighted that Air Seychelles has continued its winning streak at the World Travel Awards, picking up the title for leading airline in the Indian Ocean for the third year running. Our flag carrier has taken many strides forward over the past year, connecting Mahé to new international markets and bolstering its domestic operations in the archipelago. Its success illustrates how far a boutique airline can go when it has a strong vision and a team committed to success.” 

Jean Weeling-Lee, Chairman of Air Seychelles, said: “Winning four World Travel Awards is an outstanding achievement for the talented people of Air Seychelles, who work hard to provide the best travel experience possible for our guests. Every year Air Seychelles is growing its operations, improving its products and services, and delivering strong results for the tourism-based economy of Seychelles. Our success at the World Travel Awards underlines the strength of the business strategy and the core values that guide Air Seychelles.”

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: “Clinching four accolades at the World Travel Awards is the crowning moment of what has been an incredible year for Air Seychelles. To win the four World Travel Awards is simply phenomenal and makes me extremely proud of our team at Air Seychelles. We operate in an extremely competitive environment and very often outpunch our weight compared to many larger operators.  We will continue to stay focused on service improvements developing a sustainably profitable airline and offering opportunities for career progression within the airline.  Winning these awards would not have been possible without our people or the strong support of our shareholders, the Government of Seychelles and Etihad Airways.”

Gustave Pragassen,  Head of Technical Operations at Air Seychelles, said: “Taking home the best Business Class award for the fourth year in a row underscores the exceptional quality of our premium cabin, especially on our two wide-body Airbus A330s, where guests have a dine anytime menu, modern entertainment systems, Wi-Fi internet access during the flight, and fully lie-flat seats to ensure they arrive on our paradise islands well rested.”

Francisca Moonsammy, Head of Cabin Operations at Air Seychelles, said: “Our cabin crew are strong ambassadors of Seychelles, who go the extra mile to look after our guests and ensure a memorable flight with Air Seychelles. The whole team is very proud that our crew, who are known for embodying the warmth and friendliness of the creole culture, have once again been recognised for their passion and dedication to the role.” 

Sabrina Agathine, Head of Marketing at Air Seychelles, said: “From our unmistakeable livery to our colourful uniforms and the décor of our cabins, Air Seychelles has always aimed to set itself apart from other airlines. Winning the leading airline brand award is a testament to the success we have achieved in spreading the message of Air Seychelles to the world.”

Considered the Oscars of the industry, the World Travel Awards was formed in 1993 to recognise excellence in the travel trade and decides winners through a global voting system where more than 600,000 votes are cast annually.