Editing Air Mauritius (section)

===Services expansion===
By April 1980, the company had 414 employees and a fleet of one [[Boeing 707-420]], one [[Boeing 737-200]] and two Twin Otters to serve a route network of passenger and cargo services to Bombay, London, Nairobi, [[Roland Garros Airport|Réunion]], [[Plaine Corail Airport|Rodrigues]], [[Rome Fiumicino Airport|Rome]] and [[Ivato International Airport|Tananarive]]. Ownership of the company had changed to have the [[Government of Mauritius]] as the major shareholder (42.5%), followed by Rogers & Co. (17.5%), Air France and British Airways (15% each) and [[Air India]] (10%).<ref name="FI1980-277" /> Air Mauritius acquired a second-hand [[Boeing 707-320B]] in 1981. It had previously belonged to [[South African Airways]] (SAA) and permitted the airline to return the Boeing 707-400 to British Airtours.

In November 1981, a joint service between Air Mauritius and Air Madagascar began in the Tananarive–Mauritius–[[Comoros]]–Nairobi and Réunion–Mauritius runs, following the lease of an Air Madagascar [[Boeing 737]]. During the early 1980s, routes to [[Durban International Airport|Durban]] and [[OR Tambo International Airport|Johannesburg]] were inaugurated using Boeing 707-320B aircraft flown with Air India and British Airways [[Aircrew|crews]]. The incorporation of a second aircraft of the type, bought from Luxavia, allowed the carrier to expand the European route network to Rome and [[Zürich Airport|Zürich]] in 1983,{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=124}} whereas [[Paris]] was added in the mid-1980s.{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}} Leased from SAA, a [[Boeing 747SP]] named "Chateau de Réduit" entered the fleet in November 1984 and was deployed on services to London.{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}}

By March 1985, the fleet comprised two Boeing 707-320Bs, a Boeing 737-200, a Boeing 747SP and a Twin Otter.<ref name="FI1985-47" /> That month, the first of two [[Bell 206 JetRanger]]s was incorporated.{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}} In April, a 46-seater [[ATR 42]] was ordered,<ref name="FI1985-4" /> and [[Changi Airport|Singapore]] was added to the route network with a weekly service using [[Boeing 707]] equipment. In June that year, Air Mauritius joined the [[African Airlines Association]].{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}} The carrier made a profit of [[British Pound|GBP]]3.5&nbsp;million for the fiscal year 1985–86.<ref name="FI1988-5" />

In 1986, a second Boeing 747SP that was also leased from SAA entered the fleet; it was named "Chateau Mon Plaisir". The incorporation of this aircraft allowed the carrier to phase out a Boeing 707.{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}} In 1987, South African Airways' landing rights on Australian soil were suspended by the [[Australian government]] and [[Qantas]] ceased its operations in [[South Africa]]. There had been an increase in demand from businessmen since that time, as most passengers travelling from South Africa to Australia had to stop at [[Kai Tak Airport|Hong Kong]], [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei]] or Singapore.<ref name="FI1989-21a" /><ref name="FI1989-21b" /> Given that landing rights in Australia for Air Mauritius had not been approved yet,<ref name="FI1989-21a" /> a Boeing 747SP non-stop service to Hong Kong commenced on 29 October 1989, in cooperation with [[Cathay Pacific]].{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}} Flights to [[Kuala Lumpur Airport|Kuala Lumpur]] had started in May 1988.{{sfn|Guttery|1998|p=125}}