Air Mauritius Chair Rejects Qatar Airways Takeover
Air Mauritius chairman Kishore Beegoo has rejected proposals to sell the struggling national airline to Qatar Airways, warning such a move would jeopardize the country’s economic sovereignty. Speaking to Mauritius’ Defi Media, Beegoo said selling the flag carrier or allowing Qatar Airways to significantly expand services to Mauritius would be “a strategic error with serious consequences.”
He stressed that Air Mauritius is more than a commercial entity, calling it a “strategic asset” vital to national development. “Selling the national airline under current conditions would amount to mortgaging our economic future. We must not confuse strategic alliances, which we are exploring, with an outright sale,” he said.
The chairman acknowledged structural weaknesses inherited from past management, including inadequate maintenance planning and frequent leadership changes. These issues culminated in a July 2025 crisis when six of the airline’s 12 aircraft were grounded, disrupting both international and regional operations. The grounded fleet included A330-900Ns, A330-200s, an A350-900, and ATR72s, some sidelined due to technical failures and others from storm damage or hard landings.
Beegoo confirmed Air Mauritius is implementing a three-year maintenance plan, recruiting engineers, and working with Airbus to stabilize operations. The board has also commissioned an investigation into past aircraft transactions and is reforming hiring and promotion practices to increase transparency.
Additionally, Beegoo pledged to end widespread abuse of complimentary tickets, citing 18,000 issued in 2024, many under unsustainable conditions. He said the airline’s focus must remain on operational recovery and long-term sustainability rather than political or short-term pressures.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com