Air Mauritius to Stick With Airbus A350 Widebodies

Air Mauritius CEO, Charles Cartier, said that the airline favors the Airbus A350 aircraft for its widebody operations. Speaking to ch-aviation at the 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai, UAE last week, Cartier said that the airline looks to solely operate Airbus A350s for widebody flight routes. 

Air Mauritius’ Route Network

Air Mauritius currently has a fleet of 12 aircraft, which service its route network consisting of 15 destinations. The airline operates 27 scheduled flights a day. Most of the flights in its route network are long-haul services, operated with widebody aircraft. This is owing to the airline’s geographical location.

The flag carrier operates services to London, Paris, Geneva, Perth; Australia, Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa with widebody aircraft. It is set to commence flights to Rome in the near future. 

Mauritius’ national airline flies to other islands in the Indian Ocean including Reunion, Madagascar and Rodriques. Air Mauritius fleet does not have any regional jets at present. It has three ATR72-500s and one ATR72-600. 

Widebody Fleet

The airline currently operates four A350-900s, two A330-200s, and two A330-900Ns. Cartier said that three additional A350- 900 aircraft are on order. The first is set to be delivered in 2026, and a further two in 2027. 

“We are very happy with the A350-900s; they fit very well with our ambitions and our main traditional markets, being the UK and France. They are very good for these flights. We also use them for other flights, like Perth International, and even to India. We are also growing in Europe. We are starting Rome Fiumicino, which will allow us to increase frequencies,” he added.

Future Aircraft Orders

Air Mauritius aims to grow its fleet in the next decade. This is so that the carrier can become a strong regional player and expand its traditional long-haul routes to France and the United Kingdom. However, Cartier said that new aircraft orders would have to align with Air Mauritius’ plans to grow its hub and expand its regional network. 

He said that Airbus A350-900s would eventually replace the airline’s A330-200s, but these will not be phased out before the new A350s arrive. Other than three A350-900s due for delivery in 2027, Air Mauritius is not currently considering ordering additional widebody aircraft.

Cartier noted that Air Mauritius is not in favor of operating a mixed fleet of aircraft types. He said that the aim when building a fleet is reliability and consistency; having too many aircraft types is costly and can lead to operational inefficiencies. 

“We are very happy with the A350-900s. They fit very well with our ambitions and our main traditional markets, being the UK and France. They are very good for these flights. We also use them for other flights, like Perth, and even to India. We are also growing in Europe. We are starting Rome Fiumicino, which will allow us to increase frequencies,” he explained. 

Future Expansion Plans

The airline carrier aims to expand regionally. It already serves as a growing hub in the Indian Ocean. However, Air Mauritius seeks to build on this and to expand its network in the next decade. 

Mauritius’ flag carrier aims to become a strong regional hub serving various destinations in the Indian Ocean area. It will focus on expanding its operations in the Indian Ocean rim, which are destinations located in or near the Indian Ocean. This area includes the African coast along the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. 

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Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.

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