Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, yesterday announced it has signed a codeshare agreement with Alitalia, Italy’s leading airline.

The new deal will allow customers from both airlines to fly between Rome, Milan and Venice to Seychelles via Abu Dhabi, with just one ticket for their entire journey.

Air Seychelles’ HM flight code will be placed on Alitalia’s five weekly return non-stop flights between Rome and Abu Dhabi, and on ten connecting flights to Milan via Rome, and twelve connecting flights to Venice via Rome.

Alitalia in turn will place its AZ code on seven of Air Seychelles’ return flights between Abu Dhabi and Seychelles, and on 47 flights per week to and from Seychelles’ second largest island, Praslin, permitting stopovers on the main island of Mahé.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Italy is Seychelles’ third largest European market after Germany and France and this agreement strengthens business and leisure travel connections between our two countries.