The very small Republic of Seychelles and its very small airport are one of the most sought after destinations for airlines, particularly during holiday seasons in Europe. Although Seychelles International Airport is not that big, all major middle eastern airlines serve it with wide body aircraft year round. One of these major airlines is Qatar Airways that has just signed a significant agreement with the flag carrier Air Seychelles.
Qatar Airways and Air Seychelles Sign a Codeshare Agreement
The two airlines have agreed to sign a codeshare agreement. This means that Qatar Airways will place on Air Seychelles flights it own flight number on selected flights. The Qatar Airways – Air Seychelles codeshare agreement might not make a huge amount of sense to some, as the latter airline has a very small network. However it is more important than you might think for Qatar Airways.
Why Is It Such An Important Agreement?
Although QR flies to Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) passengers that had booked stays on the smaller Praslin Island had to make a second reservation with Air Seychelles. You would be therefore forced to collect your luggage and checkin again to get to your final destination with a second ticket.
Having a codeshare agreement with the flag carrier allows passengers to book onwards to Praslin Island with a single reservation. Therefore QR passengers will have to face significantly less hustle when booking their flight and when transiting at Seychelles International Airport.
How Long is The Mahe Praslin Flight?
Just in case you are wondering, the Mahe (SEZ) to Praslin (PRI) flight clocks in at just about 20 minutes. So it is an extremely short hop between Seychelles two main islands with the the tiny Twin Otters making the trip multiple times per day.