It seems the British Airways rumour mill has been especially leaky recently, with the confirmation that the airline is to launch a route between London and The Seychelles.
British Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at London Heathrow – and soon to serve the Seychelles – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
The airline will use a Boeing 787-9 between London Heathrow and Seychelles, with two services a week planned.
The timetable looks like this:
DEPART LHR 17:50 ARRIVE SEZ 07:00+1 Wednesdays and Saturdays DEPART SEZ 09:00 ARRIVE LHR 16:20 Thursdays and Sundays Commences: 24th March 2018 (Summer Timetable) through October Booked Equipment: Boeing 787-9
Data: British Airways
Lead-in fares have been published. Open your wallet and scream if you want to book these:
- First – £3499 Return
- Club World £2499 Return
- World Traveller Plus £999
- World Traveller £699
Those who want to redeem Avios on this route should move quickly – least of all, there’s two flights a week, and due to the limited seasonal operation.
For those who want convenience, this could be a good thing. Currently, if you’re changing in the Middle East, you’re looking at 13 hours one way (assuming all connections meet). The direct route should shave it down to 10 hours. Currently, travellers from the UK have to go via Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Paris or other odd routes to reach Seychelles International Airport.
Whilst not a massive investment in a route, it is an interesting move by British Airways as they return to the Seychelles as they play with non-core traffic. With a deployment of a 787-9, we can deduce that premium traffic is the name of the game in order to make this route work for them.
Will people pay the direct premium? We’ll find out in late 2018 if they decide to renew the route for the 2019 season.
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