Air Seychelles Completes Successful ACMI Lease with Smartwings, Facilitated by Zela Aviation

Air Seychelles, the national carrier of the Republic of Seychelles, has completed a short-term ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) lease with Smartwings, facilitated by Zela Aviation. The agreement saw Smartwings provide a Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft to Air Seychelles for just over one month, strengthening the airline’s operational capacity during a busy period for Seychelles.

Zela Aviation, a specialist ACMI aviation broker, played a key role in facilitating the partnership, ensuring a smooth and efficient lease arrangement. Smartwings, a prominent European ACMI provider, supplied the aircraft along with crew and support services, enabling Air Seychelles to maintain seamless operations and high standards of service for its passengers.

Mr. Andreas Christodoulides, Chairman of Zela Aviation, reflected on the successful collaboration: "We are pleased to have supported this ACMI lease between Air Seychelles and Smartwings. The operation ran smoothly and highlights how ACMI solutions can provide flexibility and operational efficiency for airlines. It also demonstrates how such agreements benefit both suppliers and customers—allowing lessors like Smartwings to deploy aircraft effectively while helping carriers like Air Seychelles meet seasonal operational demands and cover for scheduled maintenance, particularly during the busy winter period. We congratulate Air Seychelles on a successful lease period and look forward to supporting future collaborations."

This partnership underscores the value of ACMI agreements in meeting airlines’ operational needs and demonstrates Zela Aviation’s expertise in brokering effective, reliable aviation solutions.

Charles Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer for Air Seychelles, commented: “We greatly appreciate the wonderful cooperation with Smartwings, facilitated by Zela Aviation. While Seychelles is a challenging and isolated part of the world, the Smartwings partnership gave us extra capacity which allowed us to maintain the operational excellence and delivery we’re known for.”