Newstrack

Air Mauritius sharpens India focus

Reema Sisodia - Mumbai

Air Mauritius has plans to sharpen its focus on the Indian market. Manoj RK Ujoodha, its CEO, was in India recently to strengthen the airline's position and business prospects, by increasing its human resource and its GSA and PSA network in India.

At present the airline is working hard to identify the right partners to join its PSA network. Apart from the main cities, it is also looking at other emerging towns and cites such as Pune, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Cochin, etc. The airline will also enter into strategic tie-ups with select tour operators in Mumbai and Delhi to expand its business from sale of air tickets to complete holiday packages.

In an exclusive with Express AviationWorld, Ujoodha said, "There is tremendous untapped potential both in leisure as well as MICE business and we are working out a strategy that would increase our business considerably. One cannot ignore the Indian middle class and the rising per capita income of the Indian population."

Ujoodha also candidly declared that the airline is ready to work with feeder airlines to further generate business from the Indian market. Amongst its strategy, the airline also aims to tap the student segment, especially in the Australian sector. South Africa and Madagascar are also destinations which the airline aims to connect. In 2006-07, the revenues from India were Rs 74.5 crore and it aims to push it to Rs 100 crore in 2007-08.

The airline is also aiming to start its Bangalore operations by mid 2008, subject to the commencement of the Bangalore international airport. The airline recently replaced its Boeing 767s with A340 to raise its seating capacity by 70 per cent. The inbound figures from India has also been encouraging, with the number of Indian tourists to Mauritius especially from South India reported to be to have increased by 50 per cent in the last three years. At present, Air Mauritius is flying twice a week out of Delhi, thrice a week from Mumbai that run into four during the peak season and once a week from Chennai.