Air Mauritius is the official airline of the Republic of Mauritius, and although its fleet is small compared to larger airlines, it is one of the most modern and efficient in the world. It is one of the leading companies in the aviation sector in the Indian Ocean area with several awards to its name. It operates both the Airbus 350-900 on its daily route with Paris (CDG), and the Airbus 330-900Neo for its European routes to London (LHR) with 5 non-stop flights and Geneva (GVA) in Switzerland, twice per week: Tuesday and Friday.
News
Recently, Air Mauritius became the first airline in the world to operate both the A350-900 and the A330neo. This versatile aircraft features new wings of great size with Sharklet design, new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine and innovative cabin systems. In addition, it has ecological design integrated in its DNA and saves up to 25% of fuel per seat helping to reduce CO2 emissions.
Code shared with other airlines
It should be noted that Air Mauritius has code share agreements with several airlines, especially with Air France and others in the Sky Team alliance, with the ease of being able to connect to hundreds of destinations worldwide and earn miles for each flight.
Check-in and security control at Mauritius airport
Air Mauritius has a dedicated Check-in area for passengers in Business class called “Premium” which is visible from afar in very large letters. The process of checking my bag was very fast, I also had the seat assigned from the previous day thanks to the airport staff who changed my flight.
In the international terminal, there is exclusive access for passengers in Business class and similar. I quickly passed passport control and security control.
Lounge experience
Passengers in this cabin have access without prior payment to the official Air Mauritius lounge just by showing the boarding pass at the counter. So, after passing through security I went to The Amédée Maingard Lounge. I sat in the lower area and ate some croissants and tried an orange juice. I did not have much time to enjoy, but it is a large lounge that at certain times has high occupancy, as there are several transcontinental flights both morning and night.
Flight boarding process MK-048
After being in the lounge for a few minutes, I went to board as my boarding pass reminded me that boarding was at 08:20 am. Boarding Gate No. 24 was not far away and there was a dedicated line for passengers in Business, and those entitled to Sky Priority or priority boarding. We had to wait about 10 minutes before boarding, Although even with this small delay, the boarding process completed was completed on time.
I was warmly received by the head of service who took me to my seat on the left. After which they offered me a selection of refreshing drinks including water, orange juice, and champagne. I opted for the first option.
The seat in Air Mauritius business class
The Business class cabin of this A330 Neo aircraft named “Aapravasi Ghat” is configured in a simple 1-2-1 format and all seats have direct access to the aisle. The plane has 28 seats in Business and 260 in Economy.
My seat was 5 A. I felt very comfortable and there was a good deal of space between seats, with easy to understand controls to change the position of the seat. In the completely flat bed mode, I was able to enjoy several hours of deep sleep and listen to some jazz that always relaxes me. In addition, the seat also comes with a USB port and a power outlet, essential elements for business travelers, where I could connect to charge my laptop, mobile and camera.
Recommendation of the best seats
When I can, I like to choose the window seat. If you have a travel companion traveling with you, the center seats that are in pairs are ideal. There is some privacy and you feel wrapped in the “wall” of the cabin. I have seen several couples chatting and enjoying their trip in those seats.
Keep in mind that if you travel alone, the best seats are even numbers: 2, 4 and 6 because they have better privacy because they are very close to the window and with a good location to take photos or videos.
The numbering goes from 1 to 7 with a total of 28 seats. The latter must be avoided, because they are close to the toilets and kitchen, although if you do not want anyone behind, these would be the ideal ones to choose.
The flight MK-048 MRU-GVA
As we took off I saw that he had an ocher yellow blanket and a pillow of the same tone. I was surprised not to find a pair of disposable slippers. I have traveled in other airlines in executive class and they have always included this item, for example in Air France on the BLR-CDG route.
In my seat I found a toiletries kit from the French brand “Christian Lacroix” version “Voyage”, which includes a pair of socks, a sleeping mask, a lip balm, a lotion and a dental kit. As well as other objects for personal use.
They also handed me the menu for the flight. Air Mauritus meals were exquisitely presented and the names were tempting. The orders were taken by the crew. If I did not count wrongly, there were four of them dedicated exclusively to this cabin which was full.
The flight took off about 10 minutes after the scheduled time (09:20 am). The captain indicated that the flight would be 11 hours and 10 minutes to Geneva, Switzerland.
Dining Experience
After about 45 minutes of flight, breakfast service began. I chose the option of “omelette with cheese and sausages with grilled tomato”. All this accompanied by a plate of chopped fruit and warm bread of choice.
For the meal that was about 4 or 5 hours after takeoff, I chose “Fish with tagliatelle” with appetizers of canapes and salmon with ginger. All delicious. There was a dessert of “Pearl Charlotte dipped in caramel”.
Between breakfast and lunch there were several options: a plate of sandwiches, fruit with a variety of cheeses. All accompanied with drinks including wine, beers, soft drinks and fruit juices.
Onboard entertainment
While it is true that each seat has a large screen and good movie and entertainment options, I only used it to see the flight path on the map and watch the external cameras of the plane.
Each seat has a remote control, which consists of a small screen as if it were a miniature version of the main monitor. I liked that a lot, because from there I was able to choose a variety of songs that I liked.
Regarding the headphones, they are not as comfortable to use, I expected bigger, better quality and efficient noise cancellation. Even so, I enjoyed using them in various sections of the flight, especially while dining.
WiFi on board
Regarding the internet connection. All travelers in Business class receive a code to access courtesy up to 75 MB. If you do not receive it by email or printed on your boarding pass, the code can be retrieved with your e-ticket number in the “Retrieve Wi-Fi Promo Code” option. If you don’t know how to do it, the cabin crew are always willing to help.
Once this data is used. You can continue browsing the internet with packages ranged from $4.95 to $19.95, with a 300 MB maximum. The truth is that in this aspect, I could not take advantage, because with a couple of emails and messages by WhatsApp I consumed 75 MB. So, not offering a better data courtesy option seems to me a weakness. Even so, I took advantage of sleeping and enjoying the other services.
Arrival in Switzerland
The 11 hours and 10 minutes flew by. I barely felt the flight time because I slept several sections, and having plenty of leg room, fatigue was barely noticeable.
The flight arrived in Geneva on time at (17:45). The approach to the airport was made at sunset with beautiful views of the Alps, I could see the protagonist Mont Blanc.
The landing process was not done by some bridge. The bus that picked us up was only for passengers in the Business cabin. Once everyone was inside, the driver closed the doors and we were the first to reach the immigration and passport control zone at the Geneva airport (GVA).
Once this stage was over, I was able to go to the boarding gate and catch my next flight to Paris (CDG) with Air France, which came on the same reservation from Mauritius. I picked up my checked bag at the final destination airport.
In relation to flights to France from this airport, these depart from the French zone (French Sector) and gates F.
Conclusion
Having an executive class seat for more than 11 hours is greatly appreciated. If you are a traveler who appreciates comfort, service and in addition to the advantage of feeling space in the cabin, I recommend flying in this way.
The new Air Mauritius aircraft have good legroom in the Economy class in both the A350-900 and the same A330-900 Neo, as well as good service on board and with the cabin crew always ready to help in whatever they can.
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