Review: Air Mauritius A350-900 Business Class – Is the Upgrade Worth It?

Leaving paradise but craving comfort? Discover what it is really like to fly Air Mauritius Business Class from Mauritius on their A350-900. This honest review reveals the truth about lie-flat seats, island hospitality and whether it is worth the upgrade.

Introduction

Flying business class with Air Mauritius is an excellent way to travel in comfort between Mauritius and major Indian cities like Mumbai. Their new fleet of Airbus A350-900 jets features a refined cabin with spacious lie-flat seats.

Join us for an in-depth review of Air Mauritius business class on flight MK748 from Mauritius to Mumbai. We will take you through the full experience – from check-in at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) Airport to arrival formalities in India. 

Discover Air Mauritius’ signature Mauritian hospitality blended with modern amenities. Read on for our honest insight into their business class product on the state-of-the-art A350-900.

Website: www.airmauritius.com

SSR International Airport – Check-in and Departure Terminal

The Air Mauritius Business Class Lounge   

After check-in, we made our way to the Amédée Maingard Lounge. This is Air Mauritius’ flagship lounge, also accessible for other partner airlines. 

The lounge is located near Gate 27, look for the relevant signage. It was busy during our visit but operating adequately. 

Highlights of the lounge: 

– Clean and functional décor, though renovation is due

– Standard hot and cold buffet with local and international items

– our picks: fish salad, dholl puri, chicken curry, cheese selection 

– Bar area serving wine, liquor, champagne and basics like coffee and tea

– Average Wifi with 5 Mbps download and 2.5 Mbps upload 

– Mainly clean bathrooms but maintenance and decor upgrades needed

– Pleasant views of the tarmac

 

While the food and beverage selection was good, service missed the mark. Some lounge staff seemed indifferent and more training in hospitality basics could help. Local signature dishes like a Mauritian chicken biryani would also showcase the island’s flavours.

Despite a few areas needing polish, the lounge made for a comfortable respite before boarding our flight.

Boarding at the Gate in Mauritius 

When it was time to board, we took the short 5-minute walk to Gate 19. 

Although boarding commenced 50 minutes prior to departure, we ended up waiting an additional 30 minutes before the announcement to board.

The boarding process felt disorganized and confused. Frequent inconsistent announcements about business class boarding left us frustrated. Business passengers can in fact board at any time once the gate opens.  

Ground staff appeared to struggle coordinating the queue lines. Air Mauritius should streamline and refine their gate boarding management to align with international best practices.

That said, we were pleased to finally board the state-of-the-art A350-900 jet.

Onboard the Air Mauritius A350-900  

Settling into our lie-flat business class seat, we were immediately impressed by the clean, contemporary cabin. Mauritian hospitality shined through the warm greeting from the cabin crew.

Let us explore the stellar features of the Air Mauritius A350-900 business class.

Seats and Cabin

With just 28 seats, the intimate business cabin exudes a refined yet welcoming ambiance. The spacious lie-flat seats ensured sublime comfort on this 6-hour daytime flight.

Seat Features: 

– 28 Stelia Solstys III seats 

– 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access 

– Length: 44” flatbed mode, ideal for relaxing or sleeping

– Width: 23” – very generous proportions  

– Adjustable headrests, leg rests, lumbar support

– Side table, footrest, bottle holder and small storage

– Universal power outlet and USB charging point

– Noise-cancelling headphones 

Seat 4A was a window seat. For couples, centre seats are ideal. Solo flyers may prefer “A” seats on the sides for more privacy. 

The well-designed seats struck an excellent balance – privacy yet convenient aisle access when needed. With cushy pillows and warm blankets provided, we were all set for the flight ahead.

In-Flight Entertainment

Each seat has a crisp high-definition 17-inch touchscreen loaded with movies, TV, music, and more. 

We found the selection extensive – over 100 Hollywood and Bollywood hits, popular TV shows, news channels, kids content and Indian music. Noise-cancelling headphones completed the onboard entertainment setup.

Our 6-hour journey flew by thanks to the good IFE system (though it was nothing like the Emirates IFE system).

Wifi and Connectivity

Complimentary Wifi is advertised for business class passengers. However, the pooled allowance is a miniscule 40MB – barely enough to browse a few web pages.

Paid upgrade options offer more data:

– 1 Hour/75MB for $9.95
– 3 Hours/150MB for $14.95 
– Full flight/300MB for $19.95

In our opinion, these plans remain quite restrictive for proper use. Given the high prices, more generous data allowance would be appropriate.

Also, connectivity was only available after passing the Seychelles, halfway through the journey when we had limited time left to use it.

While we appreciate the gesture of complimentary Wifi, Air Mauritius should re-evaluate these packages to meet modern traveller needs and expectations.

 Dining and Drinks

Air Mauritius impresses with a dining experience thoughtfully infused with authentic local flavours. 

Shortly after takeoff, we were offered a pre-meal drink of juice, champagne or water. Warm cashews accompanied the beverages.

The lunch service commenced with warm bread – could have been fresher but tasty nonetheless. 

For starters, the prawns with artichoke salad proved a light yet flavourful option. Our main course, the fish fillet in turmeric and coconut milk, did not disappoint – fresh fish and aromatic Indian-inspired spices, a fine showcase of Mauritian cuisine.

However, the pineapple mousse cake dessert could have been better – the mouse was bland and lacking in flavour. Mauritius has so many delicious desserts, so something like a lychee panna cotta could have represented local tastes better.

Overall though, the meal service left us satisfied. It balanced regional flavours with international options like the Kerala chicken curry. The friendly cabin crew kept our wine glass replenished throughout dinner too.

For an airline of its size, Air Mauritius impresses with a cohesive dining programme that celebrates the island’s culinary heritage.

Amenities

On day flights under 6 hours, amenities are limited yet functional. 

We appreciated the well-stocked kit bag with dental set, lotions, lip balm, etc. to freshen up onboard. It is a nice touch for business class travellers. 

The roomy bathrooms remained immaculate over the course of the flight as well.

While you should not expect luxury amenity kits on regional daytime routes, Air Mauritius covers all the essentials for your comfort and refreshment inflight.

Service and Crew

The friendly Mauritian cabin crew delivered courteous in-flight service with a smile. After meal services, however, they remained largely out of sight.

Here are some service highlights:

– Warm Mauritian welcome onboard

– Efficient pre-departure beverage and meal orders

– Food served courses at appropriate timing  

– Helpful responses to any requests during service

– Limited cabin walk-throughs outside of meal times

The crew performed their duties professionally and maintained the cabin well. However, the service style felt a bit rushed, with minimal engagement outside of food and drinks. More personal check-ins would help enhance that signature Mauritian hospitality.

That said, the crew ensured passengers were comfortable and had what they needed throughout the trip.

Arriving in Mumbai

On approach to Mumbai, a series of confusing last-minute cabin announcements delayed our disembarkation slightly.

Navigating Mumbai as an international transit passenger proved time-consuming. We had to:

– Clear immigration and collect luggage

– Re-check bags for our domestic connection 

– Go through security again for the domestic terminal  

Leave ample time for connections here:  3+ hours is ideal.

On the bright side, business class granted us fast-track formalities with dedicated lines and customs counters.

Despite the cumbersome international-domestic transfer, we safely made our onward flight thanks to the priority services.

Bottom Line

So should you fly Air Mauritius business class? Here’s an overview:

The Good 

– Excellent new A350-900 business class cabin 

– Very spacious, comfortable lie-flat seats

– Authentic Mauritian cuisine onboard 

– Wide selection of entertainment options

– Efficient check-in process

The Not-so-Good   

– Underwhelming lounge experience  

– Disorganized boarding procedure

– Extremely limited Wifi data allowance

– More proactive onboard service required

– Confusion during deplaning process

Overall, we rate our Air Mauritius business class experience **3.5/5** – decidedly above-average with room for refinements. 

The incredible new business class cabin and seats paired with warm Mauritian hospitality outweigh the few shortcomings for now. As the airline continues honing its revamped premium service, Air Mauritius has the potential to become a leading choice connecting the Indian Ocean region.

We look forward to flying with Air Mauritius again soon to experience their progress first-hand. Business class travel with a distinct island flair – that is the unique value proposition this plucky airline brings to the skies.

When planning your next holiday to picture-perfect Mauritius, we recommend booking Air Mauritius’ A350-900 business class without hesitation. You will enjoy a comfortable journey paired with authentic Mauritian hospitality.

Rating

Check-in (Priority)

Lounge

Seat Comfort

Food & Beverage

In-Flight Entertainment

Service (On-Board)

Arrival (Priority)

Punctuality

Value for Money

OVERALL

Our return flight was totally different on-board Air Mauritius’ A330-200 aircraft – our review will be published shortly.

5 Key Takeaways 

1. Check-in at Mauritius Airport is swift and efficient

2. Relax at the the Amédée Maingard Lounge lounge before your flight  

3. Their new A350-900 has an excellent business class cabin

4. Sample Mauritian flavours during onboard dining  

5. Transit in Mumbai requires re-checking bags for domestic connections

Frequently Asked Questions about Air Mauritius Business Class

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