My flight on Air Mauritius MK851 from Johannesburg, South Africa to Mauritius was a pleasant experience and much better than the comparable airlines out there. Pros: modern seat, fresh IFE and good cabin configuration. Cons: average food, small amenity kit and limited additional services.
Air Mauritius flies to six destinations in Africa and multiple farther destinations in Europe, Middle East and Asia.
Checking In:
Checking in was quick and simple. Even as we were travelling as a group, the guy at the counter counter was helpful and seemed to go beyond to make the check in convenient for all of us. Kudos to him.
Our flight booking included access to the South African Airways Premium Lounge. There were few guests in the lounge, but it stretched long and rather wide, so it could’ve accommodated many more with ease. It never got loud even when it got more crowded an hour later. It has great good, decent WiFi and ample access to power ports.
The Flight:
The economy cabin was bright and clean, attractive for a short haul flight. The seats were comfortable, equipped with both a decent-sized pillow and a blanket. While there were quite a few people on the flight, my row was empty – hooray! Boarding went by quick so we managed to leave a few minutes earlier. The entertainment selection was more than adequate and the screen quality good. At the bottom of the screen was a USB port and a connection for conventional headphones. I was able also to stow my phone below the screen to charge.
The first drink service came through at least 30 minutes after takeoff. Right after that came lunch. The Creole cuisine came through with the menu options. I chose the chicken, which was tasty enough (though it wasn’t warm enough), but I didn’t care for the packaging.
The flight was decent despite the regular turbulence as we flew over Madagascar and Le Reunion. The impression I had of airlines was that it stayed on auto-pilot unless something serious happens. This flight however felt like the pilots were on manual! It was uneasy at first but its nothing a quick nap can’t cure!
Landing was so smooth, I didn’t even notice how low we got until we actually landed.
Overall: 7/10
Overall impression, I had a completely pleasant flight, tasty food, good IFE and was able to rest.
