Air Mauritius is to discontinue flights from Sydney

[stefan]

in response to the fuel crisis.
source

[mempep]

Yes. This follows closely on the heels of the announced extra flights from Australia following Xavier Duval's visit to Australia. There was all types of hype on MCB about increasing tourists from Australia, engaging Wrey Partnership to promote Mauritius, etc and yet there's been nothing more than the odd ad in the press for packages to Mauritius that I've seen. I can't see where any additional tourists will come from based on current and recent advertising and promotion.

Flying from Australia to Mauritius at least annually I have found the Air Mauritius experience very very disappointing from the Australian end and this does little to help the cause of promoting Mauritus as a good holiday destination. Air Mauritius use an agency or contracted "partner" (a GSR I think they call them) to operate in Australia and their representatives have been sadly lacking service standards these past 2-3 years in Western Australia in my opinion and experience.

Richard Branson when recently in Mauritius mentioned they were looking to fly to Australia from Mauritius. I can't wait for Virgin to start the Australia-Mauritius leg and only hope it's sooner rather than later.

[MmeTortue]

I don't mind that they stop flying to Sydney... but I do mind the stupid hours the flight from Mauritius to Perth arrives and leaves:

Arrival time in Perth is between 1am to 2am and as the Domestic Airport closes over night you have to wait in the International Terminal until the first transfer bus to Domestic leaves in the morning if you're supposed to go to another destination in Australia.

On the way back to Mauritius the flight leaves from Perth International at 02:50 - lovely, isn't it?

Mme. Tortue

[Titus]

Certainly a kind of deal with Air Austral, that will operate flights from Paris=>Reunion =>Sydney => Nouméa from 2009 on.

the two 777-300ER ordered for that line will be delivered in February & March 2009.

[kantor]

I don't mind that they stop flying to Sydney... but I do mind the stupid hours the flight from Mauritius to Perth arrives and leaves:

I've heard these timings are because of an important cargo contract for London-Perth, that's why the Perth flights have to connect to London flights.

With the current economic environment and the oil price, I'm not so sure that we will see the Air Austral flight to Sydney and Noumea...

[MmeTortue]

Hello kantor,

Of course this makes sense!

The flight from Perth arrives in Mauritius around the same time like the BA flight from London plus an AF flight from Paris. Usually the Perth flight is the first one, but if delayed you can imagine the run on the immigration counters: two 747's from Europe and the (comparatively) tiny airbus from Australia

Luckily I've got resident status and don't have to stick in the queues.

Thank you very much for this information, very much appreciated!

Mme. Tortue

[kantor]

The Air Austral flights Reunion-Sydney-Noumea are now on sale, they start 11th April 2009:

http://www.air-austral.com/article.php?id_article=839