Air Mauritius, the national flag carrier airline for the island nation Mauritius, will not be able to continue operations to London Heathrow (LHR) before April, 2027. The Mauritian prime minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, has stated in a parliamentary response that this is due to binding slot lease agreements.
A Little About Air Mauritius
As the national flag carrier airline of the island of Mauritius, it operates regional and international flights to over 20 destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The airline was established in 1967, and the main hub is based at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) near the capital, Port Louis.
It serves as a vital link for tourism and commerce and is known for its modern Airbus fleet, comfortable cabins and gourmet Mauritian-inspired meals, aiming to provide a taste of island hospitality.
Ruled Out of LHR Return
The Mauritian prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has disclosed that the airline’s three historical slot pairs at LHR are currently leased to Qatar Airways. They are generating annual revenues of $881,000. Due to this agreement, Air Mauritius are prevented from returning to LHR until at least April 2027 and so is forced to operate flights to London Gatwick (LGW).
Air Mauritius relocated its operations to LGW in late October 2023, resulting in poorer financial results, as the airline lost 920 million Mauritius rupees ($19.8 million) on the route from October 2023 to March 2024.
For the 2024/25 financial year, losses are projected at 1.7 billion Mauritius rupees ($36.6 million). Meaning that the cumulative deficit is nearly 2.6 billion rupees ($56 million) for the period ending March 2025.
Aftermath of Poor Performance
Air Mauritius soon reduced its Gatwick frequency. Daily flights became five times a week flights from May 2025, with overnight flights in both directions using a mixed fleet of Airbus A350-900 XWB and A330-900neo aircraft.
The initial decision to move to LGW was based on recommendations for greater growth potential and cost benefits, allowing more flexibility than Heathrow. However, the airline has faced significant cumulative losses that they hope to work through and gain profitability by 2026-27.
Have you flown to London Gatwick Airport with Air Mauritius? What was your journey like? Let us know down below!
