Kishore Beegoo, Chairman of MK: "Making Air Mauritius Profitable is Possible"

Kishore Beegoo, the Chairman of MK, stated that turning Air Mauritius around is achievable. Speaking on Radio Plus on Monday, he elaborated on a five-year recovery plan and unprecedented measures.

According to Beegoo, Air Mauritius is showing encouraging results. During the program "Au Cœur de l’Info" on August 18, he highlighted the recent quarterly financial results, which indicated a profit of Rs 252.7 million, and expressed optimism for the upcoming six months. "We are working on a five-year plan to address the deficit of Rs 3.76 billion. In three to five years, we should become an extremely solvent company," he explained.

He attributed these results to rational decision-making, emphasizing the implementation of new systems and more precise procedures. "Every decision must favor the company, and particularly, decisions should be data-driven," he stated, also highlighting that political interference in Air Mauritius is no longer an issue.

Beegoo revisited the ongoing debate about a strategic partnership to secure the national airline’s future. "We must first ask the right questions regarding the need for a strategic partner. If we fear Air Mauritius will close, that will not happen. I have no doubt that we will not reach the point of closing Air Mauritius, especially with the decisions we are currently making. The other option would be to have a strategic partner to boost tourism in Mauritius and increase flights," he clarified.

However, he believes that increasing the number of flights is not the core issue. Air Mauritius has Bilateral Air Services Agreements, allowing it to operate up to 466 flights per week to Mauritius. "Currently, we only have 87 flights. For Europe, the agreements allow up to 188 flights per week, yet we only have 42. There is a reason for this," he noted, pointing out that the limitation lies mainly in hotel capacity, which is projected at 22,392 rooms in 2024.

More Compassion

Air Mauritius has also announced new support measures for passengers facing difficult situations. Since August 5, two specific procedures have been introduced to assist travelers affected by bereavement or requiring cancer treatment.

"We want to convey that Air Mauritius acts with compassion towards its passengers. There is no need for a personal contact within the company to benefit from these facilities. The favors should be the same for everyone," Kishore Beegoo emphasized.

Specifically, the new bereavement policy includes measures such as refunds, reservation modifications, and tailored baggage handling in the event of a passenger's death or that of an immediate family member. For cancer patients, they will receive specific assistance, allowing them to change travel dates to seek medical treatment abroad, upon presentation of a medical certificate.

This transcript is only a part of the two-hour program, which is available on Défi Media's platforms and the TéléPlus YouTube channel.