■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius upgrades its MRO management software.

Ottawa-based aviation maintenance management software provider, Mxi Technologies, has announced that Air Mauritius (MK) has gone live with an upgrade to Maintenix version 8 (v8) in support of the organization’s objectives for real-time access to information, superior customer service, and streamlined internal processes.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius selects DW International's GRPS Web UI for RAIM Predictions.

Air Mauritius (MK) has selected DW International's GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) RAIM/RNP Prediction Service Web-based User Interface (GRPS Web User Interface). Air Mauritius will be using the GRPS Web User Interface to support its Performance-based Navigation (PBN) operations, including Basic-RNP 1 as now required for Hong Kong International Airport.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius sees further losses during Q1 of its 2013/14 Financial Year.

Air Mauritius Group and Company have posted their results for Q1 of their 2013/2014 Financial Year which ended 30 June 2013 with losses of EUR8.1million (USD10.83million) and EUR8.3million (USD11.1million) respectively. Despite the red, the figures are an improvement on the same period for its previous financial year in which it posted losses of EUR10.2 million and EUR10.4 million respectively.

► MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius has no plans to acquire any new planes before 2020: Deenanath

Air Mauritius (MK) Vice President (Business Sector) Mr Raj Deenanath has stated that his airline does not plan to acquire any new aircraft before 2020 despite recent comments made by Chairman Appalsamy Thomas stating that new aircraft would be a "real game changer" for the struggling airline.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius holds annual AGM; re-elects board.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), held its Annual Meeting of shareholders at the Grand Baie International Conference Centre in Port Louis on July 25, 2013 under the chairmanship of Mr. Appalsamy (Dass) Thomas. 

■ MAURITIUS: Despite posting a $3million loss for 2012/13, Air Mauritius confident of profit in 2013/14.

Air Mauritius (MK) has reported a pre-tax loss of USD3.07million (EUR2.6million) for its 2012/13 Financial Year, on the back of oil prices that have remained high, averaging USD112 per barrel, and the global economic situation that has further deteriorated as the recession in Europe has proven to be deeper than expected. However, the result is an improvement on its 2011/12 financial results when the Indian Ocean island carrier posted a loss of USD38.96million (EUR29.2million) overall.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius not ready to join a planned regional carrier: Dass

The chairman of the board at Air Mauritius (MK), Thomas Dass, has dismissed tentative plans to set up a regional Indian Ocean-based regional carrier, on the grounds that the Mauritian airline is still in too fragile a financial state to be part of any such initiative.

■ KENYA: Air Mauritius selects Direct Maintenance for its Nairobi line maintenance agent.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), has selected Direct Maintenance to provide line maintenance to its Airbus A319s on stopover in Nairobi, the Dutch-based outfit has announced. 

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius selects the Aerostream XP1 for its A330/A340 IFE suite.

Air Mauritius (MK) has placed a contract with Airline Services Ltd for the company's new enhanced definition digital video player - the Aerostream XP1. The IFE system has been selected for their Airbus A330 and A340 fleet and installation of an initial 40 units will begin this year.

► MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius to start Beijing, resume Durban flights from July, to reduce Johannesburg from

Confirming our previous post, Air Mauritius (MK) is to start once weekly Mauritius - Beijing flights effective 06 July, while Mauritius - Durban flights, speculated about here, are to resume with a twice weekly service beginning July 5. In addition, Air Mauritius is to discontinue its night time flights from Johannesburg from May 2, though supplementary night flights will be introduced during peak periods to accommodate demand.

■ MAURITIUS: First commercial flight operates from SSRIA's new terminal in preparation for the grand opening later this month.

The Louis Berger Group Inc., the program manager of  Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport's (SSRIA) airport expansion project on behalf of Airport Terminal Operations Ltd., a company formed by Airports of Mauritius Limited (AML) and Aéroports de Paris Management, recently celebrated the first commercial test flight - an Air Mauritius flight (MK) - from the New Terminal Building at the airport.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Air Mauritius to resume Durban flights "soon".

Air Mauritius (MK) is looking to return to Durban, South Africa after having dropped the route in late October 2012 citing poor loads. In addition, the carrier will also offer "convenient connections to the Far East" as it seeks to exploit the growing Africa - Asia market.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius signs up for OSyS's Fuel Management System in a bid to reduce fuel overheads.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), has selected Optimized Systems and Solution's (OSyS) Fuel Management Solution (FMS) to further optimize its operational fuel usage, reducing associated costs and emissions.

► CHINA: Air Mauritius switches flights to Shanghai to afternoon ops during Northern Summer 2013.

AirlineRoute reports that Air Mauritius (MK) will, starting 31MAR13, adjust its northbound schedule on its Mauritius – Shanghai Pu Dong route, as the carrier shifts its night-time departure, ex-Mauritius, to the afternoon.

► MAURITIUS: Emirates to Air Mauritius' rescue as two agree to "a closer partnership."

After being spurned by Air France (AF) who cited a "lack of means" to commit to any partnership with lonesome Indian Ocean carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), Emirates (EK) may turn out to be the struggling airline's knight in shining armour after the two agreed to "explore further development of commercial opportunities for both companies." The announcement came after a one-off visit by an Emirates (EK) Airbus A380 to the island of Mauritius on Tuesday 12 March.

■ MAURITIUS: Maldives and Mauritius ink BASA; daily intra island flights slated to begin "before July."

Mauritius has signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement with fellow Indian Ocean islanders, the Maldives, at a ceremony held on 26 February in the Mauritian capital, Port Louis. Under the accord, designated carriers from both Mauritius and the Maldives will be able to jointly operate direct flights between Beijing and Mauritius, and Maldives and Mauritius.

► INDIA: Air Mauritius adjusts India/Hong Kong ops during September.

AirlineRoute reports that, as per the 21FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Air Mauritius (MK), during the month of September 2013, is to adjust its operational aircraft in service to India and Hong Kong.

■ MAURITIUS: Viljoen's leadership beginning to pay off as Air Mauritius continues to improve, but not out of woods yet.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), is beginning to reap the rewards of its envisioned 7 Step Recovery Plan amid reports that it has posted a USD9.6million (EUR6.4million) profit for Q3 (October-December) of its 2012/2013 Financial Year. However, overall results combined for Q1, Q2, Q3 show the carrier still made a substantive pre-tax loss of USD3.33million (EUR2.5 million).

► SOUTH AFRICA: Air Mauritius to put A340 onto Cape Town route for duration of June.

AirlineRoute reports that Air Mauritius (MK) from 01JUN13 to 25JUN13 is to change its operations on its Mauritius – Cape Town route, with an Airbus A340-300 aircraft replacing the current A319. However, operational frequencies will temporarily reduce from 3x to 2x weekly during this period.

► CHINA: Air Mauritius to possibly start Beijing direct from May; wants Russia flights as well.

After the successful launch of its new twice weekly direct Mauritius - Shanghai, China flights on 24 January 201, Air Mauritius (MK) has allured to the possible launch of flights to the Chinese capital, Beijing in May with flights to Russia also on the Mauritian national carrier's "To Do" list.