Air Mauritius is moving to renegotiate its 2023 order for three Airbus A350-900s, citing a reassessment of its financial and operational strategy. The airline, which already operates four of the long-haul widebodies, says additional units may no longer align with its long-term growth plans.
Air Mauritius currently operates a fleet of 12 aircraft with an average age of 12.4 years. This includes four Airbus A350-900s, two A330neos, two A330-200s, and four ATR 72 turboprops serving regional routes. The A350s are central to the carrier’s flagship operations to Europe, especially Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and London Heathrow (LHR).
Chairperson Kishore Beegoo confirmed to local media that talks with Airbus are underway. While one of the three ordered A350s is already in final assembly for delivery, Air Mauritius is seeking flexibility to either cancel or convert the remaining two aircraft into more suitable models.
Options under review include smaller widebodies with lower seating capacity or next-generation single-aisle jets that could offer greater flexibility and reduced operating costs. Each A350-900 carries an estimated value of MUR 10 billion ($216 million), making the outcome of the negotiations financially significant.
“The four A350s already in our fleet are sufficient to cover our long-haul operations. The additional three, ordered in 2023, represent an overcommitment that does not match our revised projections,” Beegoo said.
The airline’s cautious stance comes against the backdrop of a fragile financial recovery. Air Mauritius entered administration in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis but has since restructured. Under new leadership from January 2025, the airline is targeting a return to sustainable profitability by the 2026/2027 financial year.
Encouragingly, the carrier reported a net profit of MUR 252.7 million ($5.4 million) in the first quarter of 2025/2026 — its strongest Q1 result in nearly a decade. Passenger revenue rose to MUR 6 billion ($130 million) on traffic of 403,127 passengers, despite operational setbacks including the prolonged grounding of one A330neo and 24 Aircraft on Ground (AOG) incidents during the quarter.
The reassessment of the A350 order underscores the balancing act Air Mauritius faces: modernizing its fleet while managing costs in a market with intensifying competition. Regional rivals such as Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, and Emirates continue to expand capacity into the Indian Ocean, putting pressure on yields for Mauritius’ tourism-driven air services.
For Air Mauritius, the immediate challenge lies in matching fleet growth to market demand. By seeking flexibility from Airbus, the airline is signaling a pragmatic approach, prioritizing sustainability and adaptability over fleet expansion at all costs.
Comments are closed.