Seychelles welcomes first ever Dreamliner aircraft |28 February 2015

The Seychelles International Airport witnessed another historical event yesterday afternoon when it proudly welcomed the first ever Dreamliner aircraft on its soil.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 which belongs to Ethiopian Airlines, arrived in Seychelles from Addis Ababa with over 100 passengers on board.

The passengers and the plane itself were welcomed by the chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Gilbert Faure, dignitaries and other high officials of the SCAA, of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and Mason’s Travel, the Ethiopian Airline handling agent in Seychelles.
The officials later went on board to view the facilities.

As is customary with the arrival of new aircraft in a country, the Dreamliner was welcomed with water cannons and passengers were treated to traditional dances from young Seychellois dancers.

In his short welcoming speech for the occasion, Mr Faure said there has been many agencies involved in making that event happen and that Ethiopian Airlines has brought in a very good product to the Seychelles.

“I must say with pride that I have had the chance to travel on this airline. So I know that it is a very good product,” he said.
He added that with the increase in the number of tourists here, he hopes to see more Dreamliner flights operating in Seychelles.

Mr Faure said it is a great privilege to witness and welcome the arrival of a Dreamliner at our airport.

“The Ethiopian Airlines is an African carrier which is making significant progress on the continent, going the extra mile to ensure that tourists are able to travel to the region in more comfortable and technologically advanced aircraft,” he said.

Mr Faure said that “though the Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner is making a one-off trip to Seychelles, we welcome such initiative and encourage any other airline to also promote great comfort, safety and good services on the Seychelles route and on our side, we will keep working hand in hand with them to make that possible”.

As for the Ethiopian Airlines area manager in Seychelles, Meseret Tekalign, the coming of the Dreamliner to Seychelles has been a cumulative effort of various agencies namely Ethiopian Airlines itself, Air Seychelles, SCAA and Mason’s Travel.

“The Dreamliner is a testimony that Ethiopian Airlines is one of the biggest in Africa and we wanted to promote that Ethiopia is more than what people think. The modern aircraft has for the first time ever touched one of the most beautiful parts of the continent, the Seychelles,” she said.

She added that the promotional flight will let the world know that Ethiopian Airlines is back in Seychelles and taking this destination seriously.

The STB’s director of marketing Rose-Marie Hoareau said the arrival of the Dreamliner in Seychelles is a milestone event and that Ethiopian Airlines is a much valued partner of Seychelles.

She said it gives visitors to Seychelles another choice to travel to paradise and wished them a wonderful stay in the most beautiful place in the world.

Ethiopian Airlines currently has 11 Dreamliner aircraft in its fleet, with the latest delivered in May last year.

The aircraft which has a capacity to take 278 passengers was expected to leave Seychelles on the same day with over 200 travellers on board.