The first private airline in Russia’s history, Transaero Airline has made its first regular charter flight to the Seychelles in 2012.

The airline which operates scheduled and chartered flights to more than 99 domestic and international destinations landed at the Seychelles International Airport on the 3rd of January 2012 at 0711 am and departed four hours after its landing at 10.22 am.

Transaero Airline is using its Boeing 77-200N that has the capacity to board three-hundred passengers, including the crew members, for its Seychelles operations. For its first flight to the islands, the airline touched down in Seychelles from the Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport with 290 passengers, including the crew members.

Russia second largest airline will operate chartered direct service flight from Moscow to Seychelles every ten days as of 3rd of January 2012 to the 16th of March 2012.

Russia is Seychelles’ sixth main market in term of tourism arrivals. According to the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and local tour operators, December is normally the peak season for the arrival of the Russian charter in Seychelles.

In the past, Seychelles has had the Space Travel Airline and Atlas One Airline as some of the Russian charter flights.

Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board has said that the arrival of Transaero was timely. “Seychelles considers Russia as an important market and the direct air access between Seychelles and Russia will help open up this market. We welcome Transaero and the Tourism Board will work with them to further develop this market” Alain St.Ange said.