The island of Mauritius is truly beautiful and a popular destination for many Miles Morgan Travel customers.
But before you can enjoy its stunning beaches and luxurious hotels, you need to get there first. A direct flight from London currently takes as much as twelve hours, so it's well worth choosing the right airline before you book your holiday.
Below, Portishead branch manager Tracey shares her experiences of flying with Emirates on a recent trip to Mauritius. This flight is not direct, and includes a welcome stop in Dubai.
Contact your local branch of Miles Morgan Travel to speak to our Travel Specialists about your next holiday, and which airline to fly with.
Check In
I started my journey with a quick and easy check-in at Heathrow’s terminal 3. Before arriving, we had checked-in online, so all that we needed to do was drop off our bags and pick up our boarding passes.
Heathrow, Terminal 3 was quiet, so we were very lucky, and security was a breeze.
While, on this occasion, we didn’t have access to a private lounge, business and first-class passengers get access to one which is included as part of their booking. Here, passengers can indulge in a drink or two and enjoy a wide range of dining options prepared by an experienced chef. Not only this, passengers will have access to wi-fi, printers and scanners, televisions and showers, to name a few.
Aircraft
We flew on board a very impressive Airbus A380. It's a double-deck, wide-bodied plane and is currently the world’s largest passenger airliner - it carries up to 853 people.
As this was the first time I’d ever flown with Emirates, I didn’t realise just how large the aircraft was, until I was about to board it!
As an economy passenger the space on-board is impressive. The legroom space is ample and there's a huge choice of inflight entertainment - with over 300 films to choose from. Not only this, there are also USB ports to charge electrical devices throughout your flight.
To add to your flight experience, there is also a camera fixed to the outside of the aircraft, so you can see outside of the aeroplane. Perhaps a little redundant in-flight, however impressive during take-off and landing.
Service
The service on board was great, the crew were friendly and polite, and the food was delicious. We had the choice of two meals, beef or fish, and the drinks on board are complimentary, so you can have as much as you like, including wine and beers. We were given a bag of snacks just in case we got peckish in-between meals.
Business and First Class
For that extra comfort, or maybe a special occasion, you may want to make-the-most of Emirates’ business or first-class facilities. Both areas are situated on the top-deck of the aircraft and offer passengers a private mini bar with complimentary drinks, a remote-control touchpad which controls everything, from the windows to the television, and an extensive menu choice.
Business class passengers can enjoy a fully reclinable chair, which can be adapted into a flatbed, as well as extra compartments for smaller items.
Passengers flying in the top deck can also look forward to a full-sized bar, as well as a selection of freshly prepared snacks and a wide range of spirits and beers.
First-class passengers have access to their own private cabin, with fully retractable doors, as well as travel-sized pamper products, complete with integrated vanity mirror and a mini bar. Again, the seats transform into a fully flat bed.
Should you choose to book a business or first-class seat, you’ll have the option of VIP pickup from your home to the airport, with a maximum mileage of 70 miles. Anything over this, there will be a small charge per mile.
Duty Free
Whilst some flights to Mauritius are direct, ours included a stopover in Dubai. Depending how long your connection is, Dubai is a great place to make-the-most of duty free goods, with incredibly reasonable prices.
Final Thoughts
When flying to Mauritius with Emirates there are no direct flights, all flights stop over in Dubai. This provides you with a great opportunity to twin-centre your holiday with Dubai, maybe spending a couple of nights pre or post Mauritius to extend the length of your holiday.
Over all, Emirates were a pleasure to fly with, and provided me with everything I needed to travel on a long-haul flight. I was particularly impressed with the amount of space on board and the number of films available on their in-flight entertainment systems.
If you were thinking of travelling with Emirates or would like more information about holidays to Mauritius, please don’t hesitate to contact me or your local Miles Morgan Travel Specialist.