Air Seychelles, the national airline of Seychelles, is set to launch flights to Paris-Orly via Abu Dhabi, as part of its global expansion strategy.

Plans for an optimised regional network include the introduction of several new routes in 2014, said a statement from the airlines.
 
From February 2014, the carrier will operate two return services per week between Seychelles and Paris-Orly via Abu Dhabi with an Airbus A330-200 aircraft, it said.

The new services will complement Etihad Airways’ existing double-daily services to Paris-Charles De Gaulle, giving travellers between the French capital and Abu Dhabi a choice of more flights per week, and new convenient connections to key destinations in the Etihad network such as Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Chengdu, besides cities across the Middle East.

Joel Morgan, Seychelles’ Minister for Home Affairs and Transport and board chairman, said: “I am delighted to see Air Seychelles return to France.  Travellers boarding the flight in Paris-Orly will once again enjoy the Air Seychelles operated flight to Mahé.”
 
Currently, the island carrier codeshares on 14 flights per week to Paris-Charles De Gaulle with equity partner Etihad Airways, offering a daily service between the archipelago and the French capital.  The new flights will increase the connections to 18 per week.
 
The airline also unveiled a new regional network plan, which will see significant expansion of its operations in the Indian Ocean in the fourth quarter of 2014, including services to Antananarivo, Reunion and Mumbai.

The plan will also include an increase in services to the UAE capital from seven to eleven per week and a network designed to maximise connectivity through Seychelles, with two-way connectivity throughout the region with Mumbai and Abu Dhabi.
 
The airline will also offer three return flights per week to Hong Kong and three return flights per week to Johannesburg.
 
On its expansion plans, CEO Cramer Ball said: “The new schedule will see Air Seychelles spread its regional footprint and build a solid position that will establish us as the carrier of choice in the Indian Ocean.  

"It also greatly increases options for travel to and from the Indian Ocean, and with our new flights to Paris-Orly, we will also enjoy network feed provided by our convenient schedule times over Abu Dhabi, contributing to the bottom line.” - TradeArabia News Service