Emirates exec briefs press |04 December 2004

In a series of meetings with local media on Wednesday morning, Emirates Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations in West Asia and the Indian Ocean, Nabil Sultan, spelled out the airline's position as final preparations are made for Emirates January Seychelles start up.

While touting the airlines' coverage of 77 destinations world wide, Mr Sultan confirmed that Seychellois travellers seeking to fly beyond Emirates' Dubai base will have to pay for onward connections in foreign currency.

"Everything we have to pay is in dollars, so with the whole currency issue it becomes difficult for us," he said.

But despite describing Seychelles foreign exchange shortage as a risk for the airline Mr Sultan said that it was one worth taking as, "we thoroughly believe things are changing in this country, changing for the positive."

The Emirates executive said that the company sees Seychelles making an economic turn around in the coming two to three years and that, "the shortage of foreign currency issue will disappear."

While the foreign exchange shortage remains an issue Mr Sultan said that of greater importance is that the country continues to attract foreign investment, and suggested that the arrival of Emirates will play a major role in doing so.

"Once we are committed as an airline we are serious about it and we will put in the funds to ensure that it is fully marketed around the world," he said.

Addressing the issue of the company's local set up Mr Sultan said that Emirates expect to bring in a senior manager from Dubai for the first year of operations, during which time they will seek to recruit or train a Seychellois manager.

He said that they have already taken on their, "core team," and that the airline anticipates opening its Victoria office–which will be situated in the still under construction MCB building–by mid January.

Responding to suggestions that Emirates had been instrumental in forcing Air Seychelles out of the Dubai route Mr Sultan denied the charge and said that the two airlines had an unusually close working relationship.

"Air Seychelles' pull out is part of the cooperation, we believe the business (from Dubai) will grow and grow dramatically."

Describing their operations as complimentary the Emirates man said that there are areas where both carriers have their strengths and that the growth he expects to see in travel to Seychelles from the Middle East will be beneficial to both airlines.

In addition to increased visitor arrivals Mr Sultan also flagged up the increased cargo opportunities which will be provided by Emirates' three weekly flights.

Each trip by the company's Airbus A 330 will have the potential to carry 20 tonnes of cargo, which Mr Sultan suggested could be used to export locally produced commodities, such as fresh fish, to the United Arab Emirates.