Vibes: Air Mauritius A350 Business Class to Port Louis
Mauritius punches well above its weight as as a relatively small Island, sitting proudly alongside the Maldives and Seychelles as a preferred a honeymoon destination. It is in the “expensive but absolutely worth it” category. Getting there is also neither cheap or easy.
BA’s Gatwick service runs just three times weekly, and award availability is a rare thing on this route.
After months of fruitless searching, I got creative and routed via Johannesburg instead. Air Mauritius had decent award space on the JNB-MRU sector, and as a Flying Blue partner, the miles made sense.
Flight Details
- Route: Johannesburg (JNB) → Mauritius (MRU)
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
- Flight No: MK852
- Cabin: Business Class, Seat 1J
- Duration: ~4 hour
- Travel Date: July 2025
Ground Experience
Check-in
I managed to get a mobile boarding pass the night before – my bag from the BA flight unfortunately did not arrive with me so I spent a good hour and half getting that sorted so my bag would be delivered to Mauritius instead of Johannesburg.
If BA had alerted me they did not load my bag, I could have just stayed airside in Joburg. So I took the opportunity to get some fresh air for 30 minutes and back in the terminal.
The Business Class check-in was buzzing – with what seemed like many returning locals and South Africans escaping to Mauritius for the holidays.
I only went to get a physical boarding card just in case it was required going through security. It took about 5 minutes.
The Shongololo Lounge
Air Mauritius uses this contract lounge at OR Tambo, which offers a fair range of food and drinks
It’s a Priority Pass lounge and also used by airlines like Cathay.
It’s perfectly adequate – the kind of place that does exactly what it says on the tin without any particular flair.
Boarding and Product
Our A350 was right outside the lounge when I entered, I was able to get a good view from both sides..
Somehow the Gate A6 still took a while to get to..
The gate area got a bit hectic given the full flight, but everyone funnelled through door one with remarkable pace whilst they were keeping Economy passengers on hold for door 2.
The A350 features 28 Stelia Solstys III seats in a 1-2-1 configuration across seven rows – modern and spacious, though lacking the doors you’d find on fancier products.
I’d secured 1J, the front bulkhead window seat, which mainly offers extra overhead space..
The side panel has a little open storage area with the headphones, with charging ports, controller and wireless payment function
Most seat controls were on the side..
The cabin wasn’t flashy or overly glamorous. There was however a real feeling of holiday atmosphere immediately upon boarding with enticing ads from tourism board and boarding music perfectly capturing that relaxed vacation vibe.
The crew welcomed most passengers by name and offered welcome refreshments on the ground. It’s the kind of personal touch that makes a relatively small cabin feel genuinely welcoming rather than just efficient.
The Mauritian Dining Experience
Cultural Fusion on a Plate
Mauritius’s multicultural heritage – British, French, Indian, plus various Asian and Arab influences – shows beautifully in the catering. The menu reflected this diversity without trying too hard to be everything to everyone.
The menu was as follows:
The Meal:
Scented hot towels were offered in preparation for meals service
- Cocktails and nuts started things off post take-off
I opted for the Tropical Punch, which had a punch for sure !
- Seafood vermicelli starter – this was fresh but needed more punch in the Asian dressing..
- Moroccan-style chicken stew – delivered exactly what it promised, flavourful without being heavy..
- Lemon and pistachio tart – a perfect finish
I was already quite full so skipped the cheese plate.
If you like eating early first row works in your favour here – I was finishing dessert while the back rows were still on mains.
Entertainment and Connectivity
IFE
The 15.4″ HD screen sounds modest by today’s standards, but clever positioning made it feel more like 18 inches.
The content selection was reasonable without being extensive. The controller for is motion based but I found it rather glitchy to use..
WiFi: The 20MB Joke
Here’s where things get a little silly. Air Mauritius offers business class passengers “free” WiFi – 20MB of it. This disappeared within 2 minutes of connecting, presumably to background data processes.
Pro tip: Put your device in data saver mode before connecting, or you’ll burn through your allocation without actually using it for anything intentional.
Restroom & Cabin Walk Through
The single business class restroom was spacious and well-maintained
There were some Payot amenities available
I took a quick walk through the packed economy cabin and was impressed by the Recaro seats with decent 31-33″ pitch.
It was nice they had some artwork and pictures in the cabin here also..
All 298 seats in Economy were full from what I could see..
And back in Business – this was the mood mid flight with
Island Arrival
Towards the end of our flight we were treated to a gorgeous sunset over the Indian Ocean during final minutes of cruise..
Within the 20 minutes of descent we landed into a eerily quite night in Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
We did park right next to a giant Emirates A380 !
Boutique Done Right
What Air Mauritius Gets Right
This is boutique airline hospitality at its core – warm, personal, and unpretentious. They don’t have the economies of scale for lavish extras, but what they deliver feels genuine. The crew seemed genuinely happy to be getting you to paradise, and that enthusiasm is infectious.
Air Mauritius operates just a handful of widebodies, mainly serving London and Paris. Recent financial pressures mean they’re focused on the essentials rather than the bells and whistles. Considering these constraints, service standards were good.
The Value Proposition
For travellers looking to reach Mauritius without the major European carriers’ award availability headaches or premium pricing, Air Mauritius offers a solid alternative.
The A350 and A339 business class product is modern and comfortable, the service has personality, and you’ll arrive in the right frame of mind for your island escape.
Overall definitely worth considering.
P.S my bag did finally arrived 2 days after me carried by South African!
Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 7 years focusing on First and Business class experiences.
Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.
Follow him on his adventures and behind the scene stories on Instagram !