Schiphol acts as Air Mauritius's second hub

SCHIPHOL – Schiphol Airport will now serve as Air Mauritius' second European hub. An Airbus A340-300 from the airline landed in the Netherlands for the first time on Monday evening and will fly to the tropical island twice a week.

Mauritius has been flown to by KLM since October last year with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, but partner Air Mauritius is now taking over. Initially, flights will operate every Monday and Friday, but in the peak months of July and August, a third flight per week will be added.

“Schiphol is our second European hub due to our close cooperation with Air France-KLM,” says CEO Soman Appavou. Through its partnership with Air France, Air Mauritius has been offering onward connections from Paris Charles de Gaulle since 1998, and is now tapping into the Scandinavian and Eastern European markets via Schiphol with KLM.

Dutch travellers can also,.

Focus on tourism
Air Mauritius’ Airbus A340-300 aircraft are equipped with 28 seats in Business Class and 264 in Economy Class. “We primarily target leisure travellers,” says Prem Sewpaul, Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs. “Over eighty percent of our travellers are visiting Mauritius for a holiday.”

Tourism is the lifeblood of Mauritius, renowned for its natural beauty, both above and below water. The Netherlands also has a historical connection with Mauritius, according to Sewpaul, owing to its brief rule of the island in the sixteenth century and the fact that Mauritius is named after Maurice of Orange.

The hotels on the island are primarily aimed at travellers who appreciate luxury, but since the 2008 crisis the offerings have broadened, and three- and four-star hotels, as well as private accommodations, have now emerged. “This makes Mauritius accessible to a wider audience, while still retaining its luxurious appeal.”

The flight to Mauritius takes approximately twelve hours and is a non-stop service. The first flight was welcomed at Schiphol with a water salute from the fire brigade.

Source: Luchtvaartnieuws.nl – Jan van Woerkom – Photo Reismedia