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# [SEYCHELLES] Ethiopian Airlines Doubles Flights to Mahé: +1,000 Seats per Week from December 2026
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/seychelles-ethiopian-airlines-double-ses-vols-vers-mahe-1-000-sieges-par-semaine-des-decembre-2026-en/
- Published: 2026-07-27T13:43:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-27T13:43:06.000Z
- Description: From December 1, 2026, Ethiopian Airlines doubles daily flights on the Addis Ababa–Mahé route, adding over 1,000 seats per week. A decisive boost for Seychelles tourism ahead of the festive high season.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Seychelles, tourisme, Clôture, #en

**From December 1, 2026, Ethiopian Airlines will operate two daily flights between Addis Ababa and Mahé, adding over 1,000 seats per week on the route.** A strategic announcement timed precisely six months ahead of the festive high season — the most lucrative period of the year for Seychelles tourism.

## A Well-Calibrated Capacity Doubling

Ethiopian Airlines currently operates one daily flight between its Addis Ababa hub and Mahé International Airport. The new service, operated by a Boeing 737 (16 Business Class, 138 Economy seats), runs alongside the existing schedule to create a true double-daily. Arrival and departure times are optimized for intercontinental connections: the new flight arrives at 16:20 and departs at 17:50, while the existing morning service is maintained.

As a Star Alliance member, Ethiopian Airlines provides seamless connections with Lufthansa, SWISS, United Airlines, Austrian Airlines, and dozens of partners — putting Seychelles effectively within reach of travelers from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East via a single African hub.

## Market Diversification: The Strategic Objective

Vesna Rakic, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, welcomed the decision: additional capacity “will offer travelers greater flexibility” during high season, a critical window for the archipelago's revenues. The deeper rationale is structural: reducing dependence on traditional source markets — Western Europe, Southeast Asia — to shield the tourism economy from geopolitical crises that can suddenly disrupt routes from specific regions.

Ethiopian Airlines' expansion also reflects a broader trend: African carriers are accelerating their presence on Indian Ocean islands, historically served primarily by European and Gulf operators. A rebalancing of the regional aviation market that benefits island destinations most reliant on long-haul traffic.

## A Vital Sector for the Archipelago

Tourism is the primary pillar of the Seychelles economy. Each additional seat during the festive high season — Christmas, New Year — translates directly into revenues for hotels, restaurants, local transport, water activities, and artisan businesses. High season is also the key recruitment and training window for a labor market that operates under chronic pressure on these small islands.

## Why This Matters

In an archipelago where tourism conditions economic balance, doubling air capacity from Africa six months before Christmas is not a routine operational update — it is a major strategic move. Ethiopian Airlines consolidates its role as continental hub; Seychelles gains resilience and international reach. A win-win equation whose effects will be visible in December 2026 revenue figures.