Air Mauritius (MK, Mauritius) has issued a request for proposals for consultancy services to review its fleet plan, which currently proposes the phasing out of the two A330-200s when their leases expire in 2026 and adding three more A350-900s from Airbus by 2027.
Notwithstanding the A350-900 direct orders from the OEM, Air Mauritius is also considering additional A330-900Ns for its widebody fleet, plus narrowbody A320neo/A321neo, according to the RFP issued on October 9.
"Prior to finalising its fleet decisions, [shareholder] Airport Holdings Limited (AHL) and Air Mauritius wish to ascertain that the operating and fleet plan that has currently been retained is indeed the best option going forward, and seek assistance in negotiations and implementation of the recommended operating and fleet plan," the airline explained.
Of the additional A350-900s, the first is due for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2026, with two in the second half of 2027. However, the airline has reportedly been trying to renegotiate the deal, arguing that the additional A350s are not needed. Chairman Kishore Beegoo said the four existing A350s are sufficient to service Air Mauritius' two European long-haul destinations, Paris CDG and London Gatwick. The airline's current board has been reviewing "poor" fleet decisions made in the past, he said.
A spokesman for the airline dismissed as speculation a recent news report by Mauritius' TopFM radio station that the airline had decided to "pause the acquisition" of the three additional A350s ahead of the joining on October 15 of incoming CEO André Viljoen. "The report is not confirmed: it is mere speculation and baseless," the spokesman said. "The chairman has been saying that Air Mauritius intends to negotiate with Airbus because the company cannot afford to have only wide-bodied aircraft, whereas we also have to perform medium-haul flights."
The current fleet of 12 aircraft includes four A350-900s (of which one is company-owned, two are leased from AerCap, and another is leased from Tokyo Century); two A330-900Ns leased from Air Lease Corporation; two A330-200s leased from Carlyle Aviation Partners; and two ATR72-500 and two ATR72-600s. Two of the turboprops are company-owned and two are leased from DAE Capital.
