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You can grab the economy while you can , then when you have time keep checking for PE and pay £35 change fee
Thanks to you both. I did wonder about booking economy and then checking to see if PE came available at a later stage. But OH seems keener on doing a package deal as it’s our first time travelling this far, the sort of thing where you get an included transfer and sometimes a rep as well. I really need to have a good read of the Mauritius forum on TA, as I don’t really feel like I know what I am doing.
Do the package companies not mainly use BA though? There aren’t many other carriers direct from Europe. You could price up a BAH and probably get a decent deal. I think you can add transfers to those, though IIRC they drive on the left so you might even consider getting a hire car 🤷♀️
As @NorthernLass says, I think package companies use BA. My daughter has worked for a number of UK tour operators and has had to travel with them to Mauritius on business. They all used BA at the time of her visits and I assume they still do.
We have been quite a few times as a family, always on avios but usually spread across the cabins – we always travel peak school holiday dates and getting 5 of anything is tough.
My advice is to book what you can avios wise, and then keep checking for availability and slowly move people one at a time as things come up (which they can do).
i did the trip out on BA in economy with the three kids one year – kids were fine, I found it hard to sleep (3-4-3 config and I was end of the aisle of the 4 next to strangers, one of whom was very unwell… so that definitely affected ability to nod off).
I would say November better weather (and so could base yourself anywhere on the island); February is hot and humid and cyclone season. Generally east coast beaches are seen as the best, but larger more isolated hotels, and west/north west has more to do if you want to be able to walk out to nearby bars/shops etc. So we often split our time between the areas – and/or you can do some day trips.
TA forum has various regulars who will help you out with answers.
Thanks for your input. I did look on TUI and they seem to use Air Mauritius on the dates I have checked so far, haven’t looked at BA holidays. My friend said the first time she went it was with Virgin but that was 1990, I’m not sure if they still do that route and what their prices are like; so I have various things to look at. I wondered if TUI might use one of their aircraft they call Dreamliner’s. I think if we do go we will try for November. There is plenty of availability in Economy on BA at present, I only need 2 seats, and although it’s a long flight we could cope not sitting next to each over, if for example it meant one of us could go in PE.
Check prices of TUI PE equivalent
Check prices of TUI PE equivalent
Thank you I will do, I hadn’t thought of that.
I have checked out BA holidays and some of their prices are pretty competitive, even with an upgrade on-way in PE.
BA and Air Mauritius go from LGW, that’s it for U.K. departures as fas as I can tell.
I wouldn’t trust Virgin not to can the route in the meantime even if they still flew it!
If they can it, they will have to reroute you
@Northernlass and @Garethgerry thanks again. There is a huge thread on TA about Air Mauritius that is kind of off putting. So I think it will have to be BA if I want to fly direct. Currently looking at a hotel called La Pirogue in Flic En Flac, of possibly one of the Attitude chain hotels, which are less expensive than Pirogue.
@Northernlass and @Garethgerry thanks again. There is a huge thread on TA about Air Mauritius that is kind of off putting. So I think it will have to be BA if I want to fly direct. Currently looking at a hotel called La Pirogue in Flic En Flac, of possibly one of the Attitude chain hotels, which are less expensive than Pirogue.
I can’t think why anyone might base travel decisions on TripAdvisor these days?? The reviews seem so polluted with fake or friend reviews or reviews from those so green or with a very specific beef that isn’t representative of the establishment.
My wife showed me reviews of a restaurant we are visiting early next month and the dozen most recent ones are terrible. On closer examination, not one of them has as many as ten reviews over several years, each includes favourable reviews of places that I guess are close to home and the rest one or two stars, but of this (fairly well known restaurant) they complain the staff didn’t speak enough English (perhaps think of learning some of the local language and try to get the spelling and grammar in your native language right in the review before criticising others) that the staff advised against having the fillet well done and no sauce (so rude to question the customer), that they didn’t like radishes the restaurant couldn’t be bothered to peel etc. etc. Some other gems like the restaurant not being as good since covid although earlier in the review stating it was their first visit.
Just so much nonsense that is totally unhelpful, and that’s a very consistent pattern on TA.
If they can it, they will have to reroute you
They don’t fly it any more, so not an issue!
The standards in Mauritius are pretty high and predictable.
Rating system good. The stars mean something.
@JDB: I agree on restaurant reviews and a problem with restaurant reviews is that people who like McDonalds will think McDonalds is great. I did read recently that people were posting fake 5* reviews of Angus steakhouses to gaslight American tourists, which along with the tea alarm, is just a great thing to do.
For hotels, I think there are valuable things to read in them. If loads of people complain the AC is very loud then I think it’s fair to say the AC will be very loud. There will always be some moron who goes to the Goring and rates it 1* because somebody didn’t say good morning.
@JDB: I agree on restaurant reviews and a problem with restaurant reviews is that people who like McDonalds will think McDonalds is great. I did read recently that people were posting fake 5* reviews of Angus steakhouses to gaslight American tourists, which along with the tea alarm, is just a great thing to do.
For hotels, I think there are valuable things to read in them. If loads of people complain the AC is very loud then I think it’s fair to say the AC will be very loud. There will always be some moron who goes to the Goring and rates it 1* because somebody didn’t say good morning.
@masaccio I don’t read the restaurant reviews, I do read a few of the hotel reviews once I’ve made a short list of where I think I would like to stay. I back read the forum of where I wish to stay as well, as the information there tends to be more relevant to me than the reviews.
@Garethgerry the friend I have mentioned who has been a few times in recent years also commented that in general the standards are pretty high.
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