Flights to Chennai will resume gradually as part of Air Austral’s regional network, which has been suspended since the airline’s closure in 2009.
The return of ir Austral’s route to India will take place on May 6, 2022. All of these flights will be carried out by a brand new Airbus A220-300, which entered the airline’s fleet in August as part of a comprehensive renewal of the airline’s medium-haul fleet. It is expected that the Chennai route would be reopened gradually, in accordance with the gradual reinstatement of Air Austral’s regional network, particularly to Madagascar.
Air Austral was forced to terminate its Reunion Island-Tamatave service at the end of March due to the fact that the airline’s flight schedule was still restricted to two frequencies per week between Reunion Island and Tananarive. The airline is currently awaiting formal clearance of its schedule for the IATA season, which began on March 27 and will end on June 30th. As a result, the airline has decided to cancel the Tamatave service for the foreseeable future.
Air Austral aims to continue operating its pre-crisis flight schedule, which includes up to 16 frequencies per week and six destinations, including Antananarivo, Tamatave, Nosy Be, Tulear, Fort Dauphin, and Diego Suarez, in order to accommodate demand for travel to and from Madagascar.
As a way to maintain a sense of balance and reciprocity in its operations, Air Austral says it is prepared to enter a code-share arrangement with Madagascar Airlines.
In addition to services to Mayotte (9 weekly flights), Mauritius (one to four flights per day), Madagascar (Tananarive, with four flights per week), Johannesburg (3 flights per week), Seychelles (two flights per week), and the Comoros, Air Austral operates a regional network that includes services to the following destinations: (two flights per week).
Air Austral also intends to expand its long-haul flight schedule between Reunion Island and Paris, as well as between Mayotte and Paris, in the near future.
