Mauritius' state-owned carrier, Air Mauritius, is planning to add single-aisle aircraft and review its planned acquisition of wide-body planes as part of a long-term strategy review. The airline is a key carrier for the tourism-dependent Indian Ocean island, averaging about 130 departures per week depending on the season. It offers direct flights to France, the UK and South Africa, and also flies to Asia and Australia.
According to its website, the current fleet comprises four Airbus A350-900 XWB, two A330-900neo, one A330-200 and four ATR 72-500/600 planes for regional routes. The airline is now rolling out a strategy aimed at better positioning for long-term growth. Port Louis-based Air Mauritius said Seabury Aviation Partners LLC has completed a clean-sheet 10-year network review, and route-profitability criteria are being applied.
The review recommends introducing narrow-body aircraft and reassessing the need for additional A350-900s. "A request for a proposal for up to five narrow-bodies is under way," the airline said in a statement on Friday. The document, entitled "10 Future-Fit Game Changer Strategies," says the airline seeks to deploy the most appropriate aircraft on specific routes to improve efficiency in long-haul and regional markets.
The introduction of modern narrow-body aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 family or Boeing 737 MAX family, is being evaluated for medium-haul destinations including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur, Chennai and Mumbai, along with regional routes. The carrier is also weighing a fifth Airbus A350, with discussions underway with Airbus for two additional units.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing