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Transportation in Mauritius (Airways)
Introduction
Mauritius is extremely well connected with all the major countries of world. Being a major tourist destination with all the year round flow of visitors and tourists the country has flights to and from every important place
The country has also excellent interior transports facility. Every town and province is well connected by roads. Water routes are also popular but especially for cruise and recreational purposes.
The development in transport has mainly taken after the independence of Mauritius. Subsequent governments have invested heavily in its infrastructural development and progress that is responsible for the sound transport network of the country.
Mauritius Airways
Apart from the many countries that have flights to Mauritius, the country has its own air service called as Air Mauritius.
Air Mauritius was established on 14 June 1967 initially as a handling agent. It started airline operations in August 1972 with a Piper Navajo aircraft on a flight from Mauritius to Réunion. International operations started in 1977.
Air Mauritius Airbus A319.During the 1970s and 1980s, the airline operated Boeing 747s, in their SP configuration (SP meaning Special Performance), on their longer routes. Nowadays, all the 747s are gone, but they use the Airbus A340 type, with Boeing 767s introduced in 1988, ATR 42s introduced in 1997 and an ATR 72 introduced in 2002 for inter-island routes and Airbus A319. Air Mauritius is also one of the few airlines in the world (Aeroflot, British Airways and Pan Am being among the others) that have combined airplane service with helicopter flights, using the Bell Aircraft Corporation range helicopters.
Air Mauritius has a large presence on European, African and Indian Ocean country airports, and the company performs a range of services in Mauritius for international airlines. It employs 2413 staff.
The Airport
Mauritius is served by the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport situated at Plaisance, on the south east to the island.
The airport has undergone considerable development over the last few years. It is continuing to meet increasing demand for air travel, particularly because of the development of tourism and industry. The airport is operated and managed by the Department of Civil Aviation.
The Department of civil Aviation is also responsible for the implementation of government civil aviation policy, ensuring that all services and facilities provided, for aircraft operations are of required international standards. These services and facilities include control of access and security coordination, search and rescue emergency planning and preparedness, maintenance and development of engineering facilities and aerodromes, airworthiness control of civil aircraft, licensing of personnel, etc.