Transportation in Mauritius is characterized by the network of roadways, ports, and airports. The island was originally only accessible by boat until 1922, when the first flight landed in Mauritius.[1]
See main article: Rail transport in Mauritius. A public and industrial railway system existed from the 1860s to the 1960s.[2] Due to persistent unprofitability from 1948 to 1953, it was finally closed in 1964. From 1964 to 2020, there were no railways in Mauritius.
To cope with increasing road traffic congestion, a light rail system, Metro Express, was built between Curepipe and Port Louis. The project consisted of a number of phases; the first phase, Port Louis to Rose Hill, went operational in January 2020. When completed, the system covered a distance of some 25 km, with some 19 stations, many located in town centres along the route with existing transport terminals. The end-to-end journey time would be approximately 41 minutes and coaches would be air-conditioned. Headways would vary by time of day, but are expected to be of the order of 6 minutes in peak periods. Access to stations would be by an integrated system of comfortable and reliable feeder buses.[3] A 3.4-km branch with two stations will be built as well.[4]
At the beginning of 1860, the transport of passengers and goods was undertaken by about 2,000 horses, 4,000 donkeys and 4,500 carriages and carts.[5] With the advent of the railways, and later of motorized transport, animal based transport systems declined on the island.
In January 1901, the first two-seater car, imported by Goupilles & Cies, was disembarked. In October of that same year, the Union Regnard sugar estate (Now F.U.E.L) received the first motorized truck of British origin, capable of transporting up to 5 tons.[6]
In 1930, the island had 3,016 vehicles: around 2,401 private cars, 300 taxis, 303 trucks, 92 buses and 220 motorcycles. In 1950, vehicles numbered in the 5,161 and went up to 13,291 in 1960 with the decline of the railways. In 1970, the number of vehicles nearly doubled, going to 25,389 motorised vehicles. This included 12,546 cars, 4,171 trucks, 722 buses and 5,383 motorcycles. Public transport, in the form of buses, grew in line with the demographic and economic growth of the island; buses numbered 186 in 1950, 488 in 1960, 722 in 1970 and 1,490 in 1980.
, 580,629 vehicles were registered on the island. Of these, 299,998 were cars and dual-purpose vehicles (cars capable of carrying a certain load of goods), and 216,863 were motorcycles and autocycles (light motorcycles).[7]
The National Land Transport Authority (NTLA) is the governmental department established under the Road Traffic Act in 1980 whose main responsibility is the regulation and control of road transport in Mauritius and Rodrigues. It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport and Shipping. The responsibility for the administration of the NTLA rests with the Road Transport Commissioner.
The NTLAA also has a board constituted under section 73 of the Road Traffic Act. The Board consists of a chairman appointed by the Minister and 10 other members. The board is responsible to hear and decide on the applications for licenses for the transport of goods and passengers; and disciplinary proceedings instituted against transport operators, drivers, and conductors of public service vehicles for offences committed under the Act.[8] The other responsibilities of this governmental department are:
, there are 2772km (1,722miles) of roads in Mauritius, of which 1140km (710miles) are main roads, 913km (567miles) are secondary roads, 104km (65miles) are motorways and the remaining 615km (382miles) are made up of other types of roads. The percentage of paved roads is 98%. The number of vehicles per kilometre of road is 209.
The motorway network includes three main motorways:[9]
Mauritius has a widespread bus network with around 220 bus lines and roughly 900 bus stops.[11] They are operated by major companies (Mauritius Bus Transport, National Transport Corporation (NTC), United Bus Service (UBS)), as well as smaller companies (Rose Hill Transport (RHT), Triolet Bus Service (TBS) and others) and various individual operators that are organized in regional Bus Owners Co-operative Societies (BOCS). The bus prices are regulated by the Government of Mauritius. However, there is no such thing as an operator independent ticket which could be used across the island.
The following is a list of the bus routes operated in Mauritius:
| Route number | Origin | Destination | Via: | Operator: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Louis/Victoria | Rose Hill | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin | RHT/Rose Hill Transport |
| 1A | St Patrick | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Barkly, Mont Roches, Roches Brunes, Stanley, Boundary | ||
| 1B | Rose Hill | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Vandermeersch | ||
| 1C | St Patrick | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill | ||
| 2 | Port Louis/Victoria | Curepipe/North | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, Shoprite, Jumbo, Phoenix, St Paul, Castel, Eau Coulee | UBS/United Bus Service |
| 2A | Forest Side(UBS Depot) | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, Shoprite, Jumbo, Phoenix, St Paul, Castel, Eau Coulee, Curepipe/North, Morcellement Piat | ||
| 3 | Port Louis/Victoria | Vacoas | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, St Jean, Quatre Bornes, La Louise, Candos, Bonne Terre, La Caverne | NTC/National Transport Corporation |
| 3A | Phoenix | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, St Jean, Quatre Bornes, La Louise, Candos, Bonne Terre, La Caverne, Vacoas, Palmerstone | ||
| 3B | Bord Cascades/Henrietta | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, St Jean, Quatre Bornes, La Louise, Candos, Bonne Terre, La Caverne, Quinze Cantons, Diolle, Glen Park | ||
| 3C | Bassin | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, St Jean, Quatre Bornes, La Louise | ||
| 3D | La Marie | La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Coromandel, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, Belle Rose, St Jean, Quatre Bornes, La Louise, Candos, Bonne Terre, La Caverne, Quinze Cantons, Diolle, Glen Park, Morcellement Pousson | ||
| 3E | Vacoas | Rose Hill | La Caverne, Bonne Terre, Candos, La Louise, Quatre Bornes, St Jean, Belle Rose | |
| 4 | Curepipe/North | Quatre Bornes | Eau Coulee, Castel, St Paul, Clarisse, Vacoas, La Caverne, Bonne Terre, Candos, La Louise | NTC |
| 4A | Floreal, Cite Mangalkhan, Riverwalk, Vacoas, La Caverne, Bonne Terre, Candos, La Louise | |||
| 5 | Quatre Bornes | Baie du Cap | La Louise, Palma, Beau Songes, Geoffroy, Bambous, Cascavelle Mall, Casela, Tamarin, La Preneuse, Riviere Noire, Case Noyale, La Gaulette, Coteau Raffin, Le Morne, La Prairie, Maconde | Individual Operators |
| 6 | Curepipe/South | Riviere des Galets | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Pont Colville, Beau Climat, La Flora, Riviere Dragon, Britannia, Tyack, Riviere des Anguilles, Union Ducray, St Aubin, Souillac, Surinam, Belle Vue, Chemin Grenier | NTC |
| 6A | Chamouny | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Pont Colville, Beau Climat, La Flora, Riviere Dragon, Britannia, Tyack, Riviere des Anguilles, Union Ducray, St Aubin, Souillac, Surinam, Belle Vue, Chemin Grenier | ||
| 7 | Riviere des Galets | Rose Belle | Chemin Grenier, Belle Vue, Surinam, Souillac, St Aubin, Union Ducray, Riviere des Anguilles, Tyack, Britannia, Riviere Dragon, La Flora, Beau Climat, Wireless Road, Balisson | NTC |
| 8 | Souillac | Choisy | Surinam, Belle Vue, Chemin Grenier, Riviere des Galets, Beau Champ, Bel Ombre, St Martin, Baie du Cap | NTC |
| 9 | Curepipe/South | Mahebourg | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Union Park, Balisson, Rose Belle, JN Hospital, New Grove, Mare d'Albert, Plaine Magnien, SSR International Airport, Beau Vallon | Individual Operators/ |
| 10 | Riviere des Galets | Mahebourg | Chemin Grenier, Belle Vue, Surinam, Souillac, Union Ducray, St Aubin, Riviere des Anguilles, Batimarais, Benares, Camp Diable, La Sourdine, L'Escalier, Plein Bois, Trois Boutiques, Union Vale, Plaine Magnien, SSR International Airport, Beau Vallon | Individual Operators |
| 10A | Curepipe/South | L'Escalier | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Union Park, Balisson, Rose Belle, JN Hospital, New Grove, Mare d'Albert, Plaine Magnien, Union Vale, Trois Boutiques, Plein Bois | Individual Operators |
| 11 | Mahebourg | St Hubert | Ville Noire, Grand Bel Air, Riche en Eau, St Hilaire, Cent Gaulettes | Individual Operators |
| 12 | Port Louis/Victoria | Sebastopol | La Butte, Bell Village, Camp Chapelon, Pailles, Soreze, Montagne Ory, Moka Hospital, Bois Cheri, Petit Verger, Verdun, Alma, Quartier Militaire, Providence, Melrose, Montagne Blanche, Lesur | Individual Operators |
| 13 | Rose Hill | St Pierre | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Moka Hospital, Bois Cheri, Petit Verger | Individual Operators |
| 13A | Nouvelle Decouverte/Eau Bouille | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Helvetia, Gentilly, St Pierre, L'Avenir, Beau Bois, Ripailles | Individual Operators | |
| 13D | La Laura | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Helvetia, Gentilly, St Pierre, L'Avenir | Individual Operators | |
| 14 | Curepipe/South | Rose Belle | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Coriolis, Midlands, Bananes, Cluny, Cite Beemanique, Union Park, Balisson, JN Hospital | NTC |
| 15 | Rose Hill | Central Flacq | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Helvetia, Gentilly, St Pierre, Verdun, Alma, Quartier Militaire, Providence, Mont Ida, Medine, Bel Etang, Camp de Masque, Unite, Bonne Mere, Boulet Rouge | Individual Operators |
| 15D | L'Esperance | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Helvetia, Gentilly, St Pierre, Verdun, Alma, Quartier Militaire, Bonne Veine | ||
| 16 | Rose Hill | Central Flacq | Ebene Cybercity, Reduit, MGI, Helvetia, Gentilly, St Pierre, Verdun, Alma, Quartier Militaire, Providence, Melrose, Montagne Blanche, Lesur, Sebastopol, Clavet, Belle Rive, Olivia, Deep River, Pont Lardier, Bel Air, Ecroignard, Bramsthan, Boulet Rouge | Individual Operators |
| 17 | Curepipe/North | Central Flacq | Eau Coulee, Rue Couvent, Wooton, Belle Rive, Valetta, Quartier Militaire, Providence, Mont Ida, Medine, Bel Etang, Camp de Masque, Unite, Bonne Mere, Boulet Rouge | Individual Operators/UBS(Only at night for Workers) |
| 18 | Central Flacq | Mahebourg | Boulet Rouge, Bramsthan, Ecroignard, Bel Air, Ernest Florent, Beau Champ, GRSE, Deux Frères, Quatre Soeurs, Grand Sable, Petit Sable, Bambous Virieux, Anse Jonchee, Bois des Amourettes, Vieux Grand Port, Riviere des Creoles, Petit Bel Air, Ville Noire | Individual Operators |
| 19 | Port Louis/Immigration | Creve Coeur | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, Bois Pignolet, Notre Dame, Baillache, Long Mountain, Valton | MBT/Mauritian Bus Transport |
| 20 | Port Louis/Immigration | Triolet | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, St Joseph, Arsenal, SSRN Hospital, Solitude, 7/8/9th Mile, Terminus | TBS/Triolet Bus Service |
| 20A | Pointe aux Piments | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, St Joseph, Arsenal, Solitude, Triolet(7/8th Mile), Camp Lilas, Camp Bestel | ||
| 21 | Port Louis/Immigration | Goodlands | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, St Joseph, Arsenal, SSRN Hospital, Morcellement St Andre, Plaine des Papayes, Belle Vue Pilot, Fond du Sac, The Vale, Petit Raffray, Trois Bras | Individual Operators |
| 22 | Port Louis/Immigration | Grand Gaube | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, Khoyratty, Calebasses, Pamplemousses, Belle Vue Harel, Forbach, Trois Bras, Goodlands, Roche Terre | Individual Operators |
| 23 | Port Louis/Immigration | Riviere du Rempart | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, Khoyratty, Calebasses, Pamplemousses, Mon Gout, The Mount, Piton, Esperance Trebuchet, Poudre d'Or, Ile d'Ambre, Panchvati, Hermitage, Pointe des Lascars, Haute Rive | NTC |
| 24 | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, Khoyratty, Calebasses, Pamplemousses, Mon Gout, Grande Rosalie, Petite Julie, Amaury, Barlow, Belle Vue Maurel | |||
| 26 | Goodlands | Central Flacq | Belmont, Poudre d'Or, Ile d'Ambre, Panchvati, Hermitage, Haute Rive, Riviere du Rempart, Plaine des Roches, Roches Noires, Poste Lafayette, Poste de Flacq, Constance | Individual Operators/Divla Transport |
| 27 | Port Louis/Immigration | Riviere du Rempart | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, Khoyratty, Calebasses, Pamplemousses, Belle Vue Harel, Mapou, Piton, Gokoolah, Amitie, Belle Vue Maurel | NTC |
| 28 | Triolet | 9/8/7th Mile, Solitude, Morcellement St Andre, Plaine des Papayes, Belle Vue Harel, Mapou, Piton, Gokoolah, Amitie, Belle Vue Maurel | TBS | |
| 29(Merged with Route 240 as of 13th March 2024) | Grand Baie | Central Flacq | Super U, La Croisette, Sottise, The Vale, Fond du Sac, Belle Vue Pilot, Plaine des Papayes, Belle Vue Harel, Piton, Gokoolah, Amitie, Belle Vue Maurel, Riviere du Rempart, Belle Vue Maurel, Bois Jacquot, Petite Retraite, Pont Blanc, Constance | TBS/Divla Transport |
| 30 | Curepipe/North | Dubreuil | Eau Coulee, Rue Couvent, Wooton, Belle Rive, Piton du Milieu, La Chartreuse | UBS |
| 31 | Ebene Cybercity | Bassin | Rose Hill, Boundary, Trefles, Berthaud, La Louise | RHT |
| 33 | Plaine Verte | Pailles | Desforges Street, Pope Hennessy St, Labourdonnais St, Dr Jeetoo Hospital, La Butte, Bell Village, Camp Chapelon, Les Guibies | UBS |
| 33A | Cite Vallijee | Terre Rouge | Bell Village, La Butte, Casernes, Dr Jeetoo Hospital, Labourdonnais St, Pope Hennessy St, Desforges St, Plaine Verte, Cite Martial, Ste Croix, Le Hochet | UBS |
| 34 | Curepipe/South | Bois Cheri | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Pont Colville, Beau Climat, La Flora, Grand Bois | NTC |
| 35 | Vacoas | Hollyrood | La Caverne, Quinze Cantons | NTC |
| 39 | Rose Hill | Plaisance | Hugnin Road, Ratsitatane Avenue | UBS |
| 39A | Camp Levieux | Hugnin Road, Plaisance | ||
| 41/41A | Port Louis/Immigration | Vallee des Pretres | Desforges St, Plaine Verte St Francois Xavier St, Cite Martial, La Croisee, Carreau Lalo, Carolines | |
| 43 | Curepipe/North | Camp Levieux | Eau Coulee, Castel, St Paul, Phoenix, Jumbo, Shoprite, Belle Rose, Rose Hill, Hugnin Road, Roches Brunes, Mont Roches | |
| 44 | Curepipe/North | Camp les Juges | Forest Side, Cite Atlee, Labrasserie | |
| 45 | Rose Hill | Albion | Hugnin Road, Roches Brunes, Mont Roches, St Martin, Canot, Gros Cailloux, Petite Riviere, Camp Creoles, Belle Vue | |
| 45A | Rose Hill | Albion | Hugnin Road, Roches Brunes, Mont Roches, St Martin, Canot, Morcellement Chazal | |
| 46 | Mahebourg | Blue Bay | Cite la Chaux, Pointe Jerome, Pointe d'Esny, Preskil | Individual Operators |
| 47 | Port Louis/Immigration | Cite Vallijee | New Trunk Road, Bell Village, Cassis | UBS |
| 50 | Port Louis/Immigration | Tranquebar | Desforges St, Pope Hennessy St, Champs de Mars | UBS |
| 51/51A | Port Louis/Immigration | Pointe aux Sables | Victoria Square, La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, La Tour Koenig, Terrasson, Petit Verger | TBS |
| 52 | Port Louis/Immigration | Medine | Victoria Square, La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Richelieu, Petite Riviere, Gros Cailloux, Canot, Bambous | NTC |
| 52A | Albion | Victoria Square, La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Richelieu, Petite Riviere, Camp Creoles, Belle Vue | ||
| 52B | Bambous/Geoffroy NHDC | Victoria Square, La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Richelieu, Petite Riviere, Gros Cailloux, Canot, Bambous | ||
| 52C | Bambous/La Valette | Victoria Square, La Butte, Plaine Lauzun, GRNW, Richelieu, Petite Riviere, Gros Cailloux, Canot, Bambous | ||
| 53 | Goodlands | Central Flacq | Belmont, Poudre d'Or, Ile d'Ambre, Panchvati, Hermitage, Haute Rive, Riviere du Rempart, Belle Vue Maurel, Amaury, Laventure, Petite Retraite, Pont Blanc, Constance | Individual Operators |
| 55 | Central Flacq | Trou d'Eau Douce | Boulet Rouge, Boulet Rouge, La Gaieté, Bramsthan, Camp Ithier | Individual Operators |
| 56 | Central Flacq | GRSE | Boulet Rouge, Bramsthan, Ecroignard, Bel Air, Ernest Florent, Beau Champ | NTC |
| 57 | Quatre Bornes | Flic en Flac | La Louise, Palma, Beaux Songes, Geoffroy, Bambous, Cascavelle Mall, Domaine Anna | Individual Operators |
| 61 | Curepipe/South | Camp Diable | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Pont Coalville, Beau Climat, La Flora, Riviere du Poste, Riviere Dragon, Riche Bois | NTC |
| 61A | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Pont Coalville, Beau Climat, La Flora, Riviere du Poste, Riviere Dragon, Britannia, Tyack, Riviere des Anguilles, Batimarais, St Amand, Benares | |||
| 62 | Curepipe/South | Riviere du Poste | Forest Side, Seizieme Mille, Nouvelle France, Union Park, Balisson, Rose Belle, JN Hospital, New Grove, Mare Tabac | Individual Operators |
| 63 | SSRN Hospital | Roches Noires | Beau Plan, Mahogany Mall, Pamplemousses, Mon Gout, Grande Rosalie, Petite Julie, Amaury, Belle Vue Maurel, Riviere du Rempart, Haute Rive | NTC |
| 63A | Port Louis/Immigration | Nicolay, Abercrombie, Ste Croix, Le Hochet, Terre Rouge, St Joseph, Arsenal, SSRN Hospital, Beau Plan, Mahogany Mall, Pamplemousses, Mon Gout, Grande Rosalie, Petite Julie, Amaury, Belle Vue Maurel, Riviere du Rempart, Haute Rive | ||
| 65A | Quatre Bornes | Hermitage | St Antoine, Camp Fouquereaux, Highlands, Phoenix, St Paul, Clarisse, Vacoas, Palmerstone, Jumbo, Carreau Laliane, Candos, La Louise | UBS |
| 65B | Cinq Arpents, Belle Terre, Highlands, Phoenix, St Paul, Clarisse, Vacoas, Palmerstone, Jumbo, Carreau Laliane, Candos, La Louise | |||
| 66 | Vacoas | Henrietta/Bord Cascades | Reunion, Diolle, Glen Park, Camp Mapou | Individual Operators |
| 66A | Vacoas | La Marie | Reunion, Diolle, Glen Park, Morcellement Pousson | NTC |
| 66B | Vacoas | Curepipe/South | Reunion, Diolle, Glen Park, Morcellement Pousson, La Marie, Labrasserie, Camp Les Juges, Forest Side | |
Port Louis is the main port in Mauritius. Port Mathurin is the main port on Rodrigues Island.[12] Mauritius was only accessible by boat until 1922, when the first flight landed in Mauritius.
total:8 ships (1,000 GT or over) totalling 550142 GT/
ships by type:cargo 2, combination bulk 2, container 2, cargo 2
note:includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)
The first recorded flight taking off from Mauritius was undertaken on 2 June 1922 by Major F.W. Honnet. The plane, a mono-engine biplane, christened Maurice, had come by boat. For the inaugural flight, the land at the Gymkhana, Vacoas was converted into an improvised airport.[1]
On 10 September 1933, two French pilots, Maurice Samat and Paul Louis Lemerle, flew from Reunion Island to Mauritius on a Potez 43 plane called Monique. The pilots landed in Mon-Choisy in the north of the island. On 4 October of the same year, a Mauritian pilot, Jean Hily, took off from Mon-Choisy for Réunion island. However, he never made it and was lost at sea. For some years that followed, the Mon-Choisy strip was used as an airport for the rare airplanes that landed on the island. However, in 1942, with the entry of Japan into the Second World War, the island gained a strategic importance in the Indian Ocean and thus the British government hastily built a new airport in the south of the island at Plaisance. On 24 November 1943, the first military airplane, a Dakota of the Royal Air Force (R.A.F) coming from Nairobi with a stopover at Madagascar, landed in Plaisance.
In 1945, with the end of the war, the airport was opened to the civil aviation. Thus, on 10 February of that year, a Junker 52 of the Réseau des Liaisons Aériennes Francaises (R.L.A.F), later known as Air France, landed in Plaisance. Since 1945, the R.L.A.F operated the Paris-Mauritius line. The journey of 6 days and 7 stops included Antananarivo and Reunion island. In 1946, the R.A.F handed over the Plaisance airport to the Mauritian authorities.
Air France became the first commercial aviation company to come to Mauritius. As from 1947, it's DC4, transporting 44 passengers, undertook the Paris-Mauritius in 3 days, including night time flight, with 12 stops in between. The following year, the British company SkyWays initiated a weekly flight on the Plaisance-Nairobi line. The introduction of Boeings as from 1961 sensibly reduced the travel time on this line. Even though Mauritius was a British colony, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C) began to come to Mauritius only from 1962. The Mauritius-London itinerary took 26 hours, with 4 stops. In 1967, a Boeing 707, capable of carrying 160 passengers was introduced on the Paris-Mauritius line, decreasing the travel time to 18 hours.
Initially, Mauritian civil and commercial aviation developed under the impulsion of Rogers & Co Company. The aviation department within Rogers was created by Amédée Maingard on his return from the Second World War. In June 1967, the national company, Air Mauritius was created. The Mauritian government, British Airways, Air France and Air India were the initial stakeholders in this initiative, with Rogers an active supporter. Amédée Maingard became the first president of Air Mauritius and Jean Ribet the general manager.[13] In December 1972, Air Mauritius landed a Piper-Navajo (twin-engined plane of 6 places), rented from Air Madagascar, in Rodrigues. Then, as from 1975, a Havilland Twin Otter of 16 places was used on the Mauritius-Rodrigues route.[14]
As of 2014, there are 2 airports in Mauritius and its dependencies.
| Runways and length | Number | Airport(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paved, over 3,047 meters | 1 | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Plaine Magnien | |
| Paved, 914 to 1,523 meters | 1 | Plaine Corail Airport, Plaine Corail, Rodrigues Island |