Air Seychelles said that the airline will operate the first special flight to Mauritius “to provide Mauritian citizens the opportunity to return to their home.”

 

Passengers wishing to return to the island will have to abide by the guidelines recommended by the Mauritian government. “Travelers will need to demonstrate proof of valid negative RT-PCR test conducted maximum four days before their flight, apart from agreeing to undergo the mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Mauritius,"Air Seychelles said in a statement this week.

 

The Honorary Consulate for Mauritius in Seychelles has also put a notice in the daily newspaper and is also liaising with the island nation' Public Health Authority to facilitate the PCR test for the passengers. These will be done during this weekend.

 

“Subject to immigration approvals and meeting all the health requirements, any Seychellois citizens or Gainful Occupancy Permit (GOP) holders in Mauritius wishing to return to Seychelles may also travel on the returning sector from Mauritius to Seychelles,” said the communique.

 

A number of Mauritian nationals are currently employed in the tourism sector in Seychelles, where they work mainly at resorts - Lemuria on Praslin, the second-most populated island, and at Ephelia on the main island of Mahe. 

 

The second flight on September 9 will be to Reunion – a French department in the Indian Ocean – and will carry only French nationals and returning residents of Reunion.

 

Air Seychelles confirmed that the return leg of the flight back to Seychelles is open only to returning Seychellois nationals but the passengers will have to follow guidelines by both immigration department and the Public Health Authority.  

 

Both flights are scheduled to depart Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – at nine in the morning and return in the afternoon on the same day.

 

Since May this year, the national courier has been operating repatriation flights for both Seychellois nationals and foreigners. In May Air Seychelles flew in Seychellois who were stranded in India and Sri Lanka. A month later the national airline flew out foreigners to Dubai, South Africa and Doha.