The agreement heralds an era of closer cooperation between the two airlines which, in subsequent months, will include reciprocal frequent flyer programmes, cargo handling, and expansion of codeshare arrangements.

Jet Airways will place its “9W” code on Air Seychelles’ four per week flights between Mumbai and Mahé as well as the carrier’s flights to Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg.

In turn, Air Seychelles will place its “HM” code on Jet Airways’ domestic services from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram, and also on Jet Airways’ international services between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai.

Cramer Ball, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways said: “We are pleased to sign this codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles, which reflects our growing ambitions in the region.

“The agreement makes Seychelles more accessible to our guests, and opens up other key destinations and multiple travel options that we constantly endeavour to offer our guests," Ball said.

“The Seychelles archipelago, with its 115 scenic islands, has great appeal to business and leisure travellers and we are committed to working with Air Seychelles and the Seychelles tourism industry to continue developing air connectivity,"Ball said.
                                   
Mumbai is one of five destinations served by Air Seychelles in the Indian Ocean and Africa.

The airline also flies to Dar Es Salaam, Johannesburg, Madagascar and Mauritius, which are available as additional connection opportunities for guests of Jet Airways, along with other islands in the Seychelles archipelago, such as Bird, Denis, Frégate, and Praslin.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer said:  “Mumbai has, in a short space of time, proven to be very popular with our guests."

“This agreement with Jet Airways will enhance our travel proposition by offering Air Seychelles’ guests simple and convenient travel options within India," Papa said.

“Thanks to our growing commercial ties with Jet Airways, we will be able to build our presence in India and provide Air Seychelles access to millions of potential Indian guests wishing to travel to the Seychelles, or beyond to Africa," he said.

“Closer cooperation with cargo will further enable trade in the region and is in line with our business strategy," he said.

Joël Morgan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Transport and Chairman of Air Seychelles said: “We are pleased to sign this codeshare agreement, which I am confident will strengthen the close ties between our two countries.

“As the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly demonstrated, Seychelles and India enjoy excellent and long-standing bilateral relations, and enhancing air connectivity is essential to developing them further," Morgan said.

Air Seychelles launched services to Mumbai in December 2014 with an A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, offering 16 business class seats and 120 economy class seats.