After several hours of hovering around in a flying machine over the seemingly endless stretch of the ocean, welcome! You have now finally arrived at your eagerly awaited destination. The first few things you will observe, as your aircraft makes it over Mauritian ground, are our exquisite azure blue waters and sandy beaches, just waiting to be graced by your presence. But you will still need to remain patient for a few minutes, you have to land after all.

Fear not! Mauritius possesses one of the best and most highly rewarded airports, equipped with just about everything to smoothen your arrival and give you a taste of our internationally popular trademark Mauritian hospitality. For all those (unfortunately) leaving us, the airport is equipped with the latest technologies to ease your departure and make you yearn for the day you will return.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is named after our first Prime Minister, also the man responsible for the independence of our nation. It is located in Plaine Magnien in the South East, just 48 km away from the capital and hence only a 45-minute drive away. The only airport of the island is easily reached by means of many roads, of which one being the motorway, and therefore extremely quick to access. Owned and operated by the Government of Mauritius, the airport serves as the hub of Air Mauritius, the national airline.

Way back in 1942, when Mauritius was still under the rule of the British empire, the construction of a Royal Naval Air Station commenced in Mahebourg by the government of the time, to serve for defensive purposes. By the end of the 2nd World War however, the base was put in the hands of the Royal Air Force and civilian use came shortly afterwards, providing a much-needed boon to the local economy.

A few decades passed, and in 1986, infrastructural works for the construction of a larger and more able airport were undertaken, to accommodate larger and more aircrafts. A new terminal was created along with several airbridges to make space for the boom in traffic Mauritius was starting to experience. Customs services for international routes were introduced as well as a much-needed car park attached to the building. The terminal of that time was made up of 2 floors and could hold up to 4 aircrafts at the same time.

The newest passenger Terminal was introduced in mid-2013 and came into use by September 2013. Boasting an intricate architecture depicting the leaves of a palm tree, it connects to the previous terminal and has the capacity of housing over 4 million passengers and offering 600 parking spots. Airport Terminal Operations Ltd, or ATOL for short, is the one taking the helm for the building and operation of this new terminal building.

Costing somewhere north of 300 Million USD, the project follows the rules and conditions laid down by the “Maurice Ile Durable” concept, literally translating into “Mauritius The Sustainable Island”. The harnessing of solar energy by means of photovoltaic cells, collection of rainwater, heat transfer reducing thermo insulated facades and the integration of greeneries as part of the building are just some of the steps taken by the management to satisfy the environmental and ecological aspects.

Car Rental at Mauritius Airport

As part of the experience at SSR International Airport, EasyCab offers the convenience of car rentals with seamless pickup and drop-off services. Whether arriving for business or leisure, renting a car upon arrival ensures you can move from the airport to your destination comfortably and efficiently. EasyCab provides a wide range of vehicles for every type of traveler, from small compact cars to family-sized vehicles, with quick and convenient airport car delivery services throughout the island.

The Lounges

We all know just too well how all airport procedures can be so taxing, leaving your feet aching and your body tired. Fortunately for travellers, ATOL too is aware of this problem and has the pleasure of welcoming all having a boarding pass into their posh lounges, equipped with every single detail to make your waiting time as relaxing and comfortable as possible.

A decent Wi-Fi connection, international and national newspapers as well as magazines, TV Programs and all flight information are made accessible to you. Much care has been taken by the management to produce an amazingly relaxing atmosphere for the travellers to sit back or work, as is needed.

• Nenuphar Lounge - Just in front of Boarding Gate 9, this lounge offers reclining chairs, free Wi-Fi, an open bar, a diverse buffet, showers, baby changing rooms, and more.
• The Amedee Maingard Lounge - Created for Air Mauritius clients, this internationally recognized lounge offers a premium experience with high-end services.

Duty Free Shopping

The Mauritius Duty Free Paradise is the company behind one of the most highly regarded duty free shops in the entire Indian Ocean. Armed with an array of merchandise, ranging from the most luxurious international brands to local ones, this duty free heaven is sure to send you into one of your most intense shopping sprees.

Spreading over an area of about 2000m2, the shops display a plethora of products, such as top brand perfumes, high end luxury items like watches and bags, cosmetics, jewelleries, clothing, confectionaries, local as well as overseas liquor and cigarettes. Many other local products such as tea, garments and souvenirs are also offered, so you don't have to ever regret forgetting to purchase something during your vacation. The duty free shopping is available both during the arrival and the departure.

General Information

It is always useful to have an idea of what to expect at the airport, so as to ensure not running into any kind of trouble and smoothen out your transit. Bearing this in mind, here is some general information and tips you might find resourceful.

Do’s:

• Check with your flight provider for any allowed and prohibited items on your flight
• Ensure that you reach the airport a minimum of 3 hours before the boarding time, so as to not encounter any inconveniences
• If ever you suffer from a medical condition requiring the use of syringe or needle, inform the person during the flight check-in for security purposes
• Inform security officers of medical objects such as pacemakers, which might trigger the metal detectors
• Batteries for essential equipment, for example, wheelchairs, should meet any airline approval and be presented to an officer

Dont’s:

• Threats and comments about possessing a weapon may result in the rejection of boarding an aircraft
• Beverages are not allowed in handbags and, when detected through screening, will be asked to be thrown away
• Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (or simple LAGs) are allowed on a flight only if they are under 100ml, otherwise, they will be detected during screening and thrown away
• Sports equipment, like bats, golf clubs, and rackets, should be stored in luggage and are not allowed as hand baggage

Airport Parking

The parking space of SSR International Airport is able to house about a thousand vehicles and is designed in such a way so as to provide efficient driving and parking space. The trolleys are thoughtfully placed close to the parkings to assist you in carrying your belongings. Reserved parking for the physically impaired are clearly marked and controlled so as not to be abused. Moreover, the latter is located in proximity to the terminals to provide quick and hassle free access to them.

The parking tariffs are as follows

Parking Duration	Price
Drop-off / Less than 15 minutes	Free
Up to 1 hour	MUR 50
Up to 2 hours	MUR 100
Up to 4 hours	MUR 150
Up to 8 hours	MUR 200
Up to 24 hours	MUR 300
Every additional day or part thereof	MUR 400
Lost ticket	MUR 2,500

Lost Baggage

To date, the airport possesses no baggage storage facilities, hence you should take complete responsibility for your stuff. You are strongly advised to never leave your bags unattended, as they might be taken and inspected for security reasons. Services for lost baggage are offered by Air Mauritius and Ground2Air, with their respective counters being in the baggage reclaim hall.

Foreign Exchanges Banking

Foreign exchange counters are available at both the arrival and departure check-in area. Most of the major currencies are accepted by the foreign exchange companies (Shibani Finance, Thomas Cook) and banks. ATMs of Absa, HSBC, MCB and SBM are present at the exit area of the arrival.

Customs

Value added Tax Refund services are also provided at the airport, where passengers can claim back tax on items purchased on the island (VAT Refund). The counter is in Check In Hall B, level 1, close to Gate 15 in Hall B at level 1.

Airlines operating

• Air Austral
• Air France
• Air Madagascar
• Air Mauritius
• Air Seychelles
• British Airways
• Comair
• Condor Flugdienst
• Corsairfly
• EgyptAir
• Emirates
• Lufthansa
• South African Airways
• Turkish Airlines

Some Interesting Trivia about the airport

A whopping 3, 197, 308 passengers passed through the airport in the year 2015, meaning an upscale of 9.6% from the previous year.

In the period between January and May 2016, the number of passengers increased by 10% compared to last year. Moreover, with the plethora of amenities being introduced, such as the Air Corridor, the passenger traffic is expected to attain a growth of 5% annually for the forthcoming 5 years.

About 1500 people come to drop and pick travellers each day

About 4000 employees come to work in the airport everyday

Airport Contact Details

• Telephone: 230 603 8204 or 230 603 600
• Fax: 230 637 8203 or 230 637 5306
• Email address: info@atol.aero / airportinfo@airportofmauritius.aero
• Website: mru.airport.aero
• For Flight Information call: 8965
• Schedule Airport Arrival
• Schedule Airport Departure