As part of its fleet transformation plan, Air Seychelles will once again take delivery of a brand new A320neo aircraft in March 2020. In preparation for the arrival of the aircraft into the Seychelles, since late 2019, several teams across the business have started to meet both locally and in Hamburg, home to a large number of Airbus sites as part of the entry into service.
The airline’s second Airbus A320neo aircraft is named after one of Seychelles critically endangered bird called ‘Pti Merl Dezil’ also known as the ‘Seychelles Warbler’.
Delivered under the code S7-PTI, the newest addition to the fleet will reaffirm the airlines’ commitment in raising awareness about the Seychelles ecosystem and the importance of protecting its endemics for future generation.
Scientifically recognized as ‘Acrophalus sechellensis’ with current population over 3000, the small song bird which can be identified by its brown feathers, long legs and narrow beak was on the verge of extinction in the twentieth century.
Reclassified as ‘Near Threatened’ in 2014, following the increase in its population, to date ‘Pti Merl Dezil’ can be found on five granitic and coralline islands of the Seychelles including Cousine, Aride, Denis, Fregate as well as Cousin island, declared a nature reserve in 1968 to protect this species.
Head of Cabin Operations, Francisca Moonsammy and Manager Cabin Safety Standards, Magdalena Hubert attended the cabin presentation in Hamburg, a standard procedure to verify the conformity and interior specifications of the cabin.
The presentation focused on both the Business and Economy Class cabin, covered the flight deck, passenger and inflight crew seating areas, the galley as well as the lavatory facilities.
Other functionalities inspected included the cabin interphones plus loudspeakers, illuminated signs, passenger call bells, lighting within the cabin and the safety equipment features comprising of the evacuation signaling and emergency equipment.
Remco Althuis, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles said:
“Before taking the delivery of a new aircraft, it is customary for an airline to carry out a detailed and complete check of the entire configuration of the aircraft prior to final acceptance. This process is very important to ensure that the interior features of the aircraft is up to standard and as per the required specification. As we approach the final date of the delivery, our teams are all excited to welcome the newest acquisition into our fleet.”
