Zil Air (Pty) Ltd

What Zil Air (Pty) Ltd does

Zil Air (Pty) Ltd is a Seychelles-licensed luxury helicopter and fixed-wing aviation operator providing aerial transfer, scenic, and excursion services across the Seychelles archipelago. Founded in 2007 and commercially operating since April 1, 2009 under an Air Operator Certificate from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, the company is headquartered at Pointe Larue, Mahe — adjacent to Seychelles International Airport — with operating bases on Praslin and La Digue. Its fleet of 8 aircraft comprises 5 Airbus H-120 single-engine helicopters, 1 Airbus EC-145 twin-engine helicopter, 1 Vulcan Air P68C twin-engine fixed-wing, 1 Tecnam P2012 Traveller (9-seat), and 1 Pilatus PC-24 jet under private management. Zil Air holds access to 21 licensed helipads and 7 landing strips across the Inner and outer islands, and runs its own Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization and Maintenance Repair Organization functions in-house.

The product portfolio spans three core service lines — Scenic Flights (15- to 90-minute aerial tours), Private & VIP Transfers (luxury inter-island transport), and Excursion Packages (multi-island land-plus-air experiences) — supplemented by À la Carte custom itineraries, digital Gift Vouchers, Utility Services (aerial filming, firefighting, medevac, search and rescue, cargo lifting up to 300kg, ship-to-shore operations), and the Zil Air Lounge pre-flight facility. Aircraft are equipped with air conditioning, leather interiors, Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, and noise-cancelling headsets; the H-120 helicopter uses a Fenestron tail rotor system advertised as 30% quieter than competing equipment. Zil Air operates under a 'safety first' culture with zero major incidents reported since 2009.

Revenue is generated on a per-flight transaction basis with all-inclusive Euro-denominated pricing: inter-island transfers range from €499 (Kempinski 10-min) to €2,214 (Bird Island 35-min); scenic flights from €435 (15-minute island circuit) to €2,610 (90-minute multi-island tour); and excursion packages from €1,805 to €2,837. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online and phone bookings (with some routes bookable only through partner resorts including Anantara Maia, Bird Island, Cerf Island, Chateau de Feuilles, Denis Island, Fregate Island, North Island, Raffles, and Six Senses Zil Pasyon) and curated partnerships with luxury operators such as Constance Lemuria for golf excursions. The company is privately held with no institutional funding rounds disclosed and is led by Executive Director Francis Savy as Accountable Manager.

Name

Zil Air (Pty) Ltd

Legal name

Zil Air Pty Ltd

Website

https://zilair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zil Air (Pty) Ltd is a Seychelles-based luxury aerial transport operator founded in 2007, providing helicopter transfers, scenic flights, and excursion packages to high-end tourists and luxury island resorts across the Seychelles archipelago via a fleet of 8 aircraft.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Aviation Charter Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Airport Operations (48811), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD), Helicopter Air Taxi / Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Services (TLAFACAC), Private Aviation Terminals & FBO Services (THABAFAH), Scenic & Sightseeing Helicopter Tours (THABAGAE)

Keywords

• Luxury helicopter transfers
• Scenic flight tours
• Inter-island air transfers
• VIP aerial charter
• Aviation utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pointe Larue

HQ country

Seychelles

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charter Flight Services: Core revenue from helicopter and fixed-wing charter services including inter-island transfers, VIP/private transfers, and airport transfers. Pricing is per-flight basis with all-inclusive packages ranging from short 8-minute transfers to 90-minute scenic flights.
2. Scenic Flight Packages: Pre-packaged scenic flight experiences ranging from 15-minute island circuits (€435) to 90-minute multi-island tours (€2,610), including specialty packages like 'Write it in the Sand' proposal flights (€1,340) with videography add-ons.
3. Excursion Packages: Full-day and half-day excursion packages to nature reserves, golf courses, and multiple islands including guides, meals, and ground transportation. Prices range from €1,805 to €2,837.
4. Gift Vouchers: Digital gift vouchers sold in fixed denominations (15 mins €435, 30 mins sunset €870) or custom amounts, with delivery scheduling up to 3 months ahead.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zil Air provides luxury helicopter and fixed-wing aerial limo services across the Seychelles archipelago, including inter-island transfers, scenic flights, excursion packages, and aviation utility services. The company operates a fleet of 8 aircraft from its base adjacent to Seychelles International Airport, serving affluent travelers and luxury resort guests with connectivity to 21 licensed helipads and 7 landing strips.

Product overview

Zil Air operates a fleet of 8 aircraft (5 H-120 Airbus helicopters, 1 Vulcan Air P68C, 1 Tecnam P2012 Traveller, 1 Pilatus PC-24 under private management) providing luxury aerial limo services across the Seychelles archipelago. The core product portfolio includes Scenic Flights (15-90 minute aerial tours), Private & VIP Transfer Services connecting travelers to 21+ helipads and 7 landing strips, and Excursion Packages combining helicopter flights with island experiences. Supporting services include À la Carte custom experiences, Gift Vouchers, Utility Services (aerial filming, firefighting, medivac, search & rescue), and the Zil Air Lounge premium pre-flight facility. The company operates from its base adjacent to Seychelles International Airport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scenic Flights Aerial scenic flights over Seychelles islands offering bird's-eye views of the archipelago. Options include 15-minute North/South Mahe flights, 30-minute full island tours, sunset flights, 90-minute multi-island tours, and custom proposal flights with personalized messages written in sand. Targeted at leisure travelers and tourists.
• Private & VIP Transfer Services Luxury helicopter and fixed-wing transfers connecting travelers from Seychelles International Airport and Mahe to over 21 licensed helipads and 7 landing strips across island resorts including Kempinski, Four Seasons, Maia, Fregate, and other luxury properties. For travelers and resort guests.
• Excursion Packages Guided island adventure packages including Aride Bird Sanctuary, Cousin Island nature reserves, Lemuria Golf Day, Praslin Garden of Eden, La Digue Indulgence, and Zil Air Experience combining helicopter flights with land tours, boat transfers, and dining. For leisure travelers.
• Utility Services Specialized aviation services including aerial filming and photography with specialized door configurations, firefighting with bambi buckets, cargo lifting up to 300kg, mediVac patient transport, search and rescue operations, and ship-to-shore crew changes. For film production companies, government agencies, and commercial entities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero major safety incidents reported since commercial operations began April 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• National Human Resources Development Council (NHRDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2018Partnership between Zil Air and NHRDC to train young Seychellois pilots. First pilot Thierry Hoareau benefited from this training program, completing his commercial pilot training in Florida and type rating in Czech Republic before returning to Zil Air.
• TecnamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2018Zil Air ordered Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft and worked alongside Tecnam to customize the aircraft to meet exact operational requirements for Seychelles. Zil Air became the second worldwide operator and only one outside USA to offer the Traveller in commercial operations. Tecnam embraced Zil Air as a partner from day one of the aircraft development.
• L'Air DeZil (Joint Venture with Helicopter Seychelles)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2010Commercial joint venture between Helicopter Seychelles and Zil Air forming L'Air DeZil (Ltd). The venture combined helicopter services to serve Seychelles tourism industry with a consumer-centric approach. Quality, innovation, and harmony are hallmarks of the new management company focused on providing uncompromising service excellence with emphasis on 'safety first' policies.
• Lemuria Resort (Constance Hotels)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLemuria Resort offers 18-hole championship golf course accessible via Zil Air helicopter transfers. Partnership includes dedicated excursion packages such as Lemuria Golf Day with ground transfers and golf course access included.
• Various Luxury Island Resorts (Kempinski, Four Seasons, Hilton, etc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZil Air serves as the helicopter transfer provider for numerous luxury island resorts across Seychelles. Some resorts (Anantara Maia, Bird Island, Cerf Island, Fregate Island, North Island, etc.) require bookings to be made through the resort directly, while others allow direct booking with Zil Air.
• Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA)coreOthersRegulatory body that granted Zil Air its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on April 1, 2009, allowing commercial operations. SCAA also certifies aircraft and pilots, and must approve special operations like filming or low-level flying.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Niagara Helicopters: Established helicopter tour operator offering scenic flights and charters in a destination market. Comparable business model focused on premium-tourist aerial experiences and private charter work.
• BVI Helicopters: Caribbean helicopter tour and charter specialist serving luxury resorts and yacht clients. Directly comparable geography (premium island tourism), customer base and product mix of scenic tours and transfers.
• Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters: Large-scale helicopter tour and charter operator offering scenic flights and charter services. Comparable in its combination of sightseeing packages and private charter transfers for premium travelers.
• Maverick Helicopters: Premium helicopter tour and charter operator serving Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Hawaii. Closely comparable in product mix (luxury scenic tours, charter transfers, gift/experience packages) and premium-leisure customer base.
• Helicopter Seychelles: Direct helicopter operator in Seychelles that is Zil Air's joint venture partner in L'Air DeZil. Operates in the same geography and product category, making it the most direct comparable competitor.
• Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Long-established luxury scenic and tour helicopter operator in Hawaii offering aerial tours and inter-villa transfers. Directly comparable business model, fleet mix and target customer (premium leisure travelers in island destinations).

Broad incumbents

• Héli-Union: European helicopter operator providing VIP charter, offshore and utility services. Comparable in offering on-demand helicopter charter to corporate/VIP clients alongside utility aviation work.
• Air Mauritius: National carrier of Mauritius with inter-island and regional scheduled services. Comparable as a regional island-destination airline incumbent, overlapping with Zil Air's inter-island passenger transport role within the Indian Ocean leisure market.
• Air Seychelles: Seychelles' national flag carrier offering scheduled inter-island and international flights. Overlaps with Zil Air on inter-island passenger transport but as a broader incumbent portfolio airline rather than a specialized premium helicopter operator.

Emerging players

• Scenic Eclipse Helicopters: Luxury helicopter excursion offering associated with high-end expedition cruises visiting islands including the Seychelles. Compares on targeting ultra-high-net-worth travelers seeking premium aerial experiences in tropical/island destinations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/zilairhelicopters
• Instagraminstagram.com/zil_air
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zil-air-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zil Air (Pty) Ltd