🔎 Mahé–Praslin High-Frequency Traffic Is Driven by Fixed Operator–Aircraft Pairings
High-frequency flights between Mahé Island and Praslin Island are concentrated among two operator–aircraft pairings. Avi-Go data show that from August 9 to September 7, 2026, a total of 1,196 completed flights were recorded in both directions between the two islands, comprising 602 flights from Mahé to Praslin and 594 in the reverse direction. Air Seychelles operated 1,157 flights, accounting for 96.74%, while Zil Air operated 39 flights, accounting for 3.26%. The aircraft-type distribution was similarly concentrated: the DHC-3 Otter accounted for 1,157 flights and the Tecnam P2012 Traveller for 39 flights, representing 96.74% and 3.26%, respectively. This indicates that most activity on the route came from the fixed Air Seychelles–DHC-3 Otter inter-island transport pairing, rather than from business aviation traffic involving multiple operators and aircraft types.
Impact: If all 1,196 flights are included in the core business aviation demand sample, Air Seychelles’ 1,157 high-frequency inter-island flights would significantly inflate the baseline for the Mahé–Praslin market, thereby affecting assessments of charter demand, airport activity, and the competitive structure among operators. For brokers and market research institutions, this pairing is better monitored as a separate inter-island transport category.
Recommendation: In Seychelles business aviation statistics, list separately the 1,157 DHC-3 Otter flights operated by Air Seychelles and present Zil Air’s 39 P2012 Traveller flights independently. Going forward, focus on tracking whether new operator and aircraft-type activity emerges beyond these two fixed pairings, and use this as the basis for assessing the structure of business aviation demand.