Air Mauritius revamps India plans

Mumbai: Recognising India as an important market, Air Mauritius plans to start a direct Bangalore-Mauritius flight by mid-2008. Airline officials say that India-based operations are now undergoing an uplift as the number of Indian tourists to Mauritius has gone up by 50 per cent over the last three years.

Figures from the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, India, indicate that 37,000 Indians traveled to Mauritius in 2006. Airline officials say that they are now expecting a growth of 10 to 15 per cent in 2007, given the fact that the airline has now boosted its carrying capacity, having recently replaced its Boeing 767s with A340s. The change over has raised its seating capacity by 70 per cent.

The airline is also scheduled to induct Airbus A330 aircraft by November this year.

Apart from new personnel appointments, Air Mauritius will also enter into strategic partnerships with select tour operators in Mumbai and Delhi over the next six months to expand its business from sale of air tickets and complete holiday packages.

Currently, Air Mauritius flies twice a week out of Delhi, thrice a week from Mumbai (four, during the peak summer months) and once a week from Chennai.