The Small But Diverse Fleet Of Air Austral In 2023

Air Austral is based at Roland Garros Airport (RUN) on the French island of Réunion. The carrier operates regional services across the Indian Ocean, as well as flights to mainland France. Its current destinations include Antananarivo (TNR), Chennai (MAA), Mauritius (MRU), Bangkok (BKK), and Paris (CDG).

Over the years, Air Austral has also operated to regional airports in France, and at one point, even flew to Nouméa (NOU) on the Pacific Island of New Caledonia, via Sydney (SYD). The airline subsequently pulled many of its long-haul routes in 2012 following financial difficulties.

Data from ch-aviation.com shows that Air Austral’s small but diverse fleet is currently made up of nine active aircraft, with an average age of 6.6 years. Each aircraft sports a slightly different livery, featuring some of Réunion Island's natural wonders on the tail.

Photo: Air Austral

Airbus A220-300

By far the youngest aircraft type in Air Austral’s fleet, the carrier operates three Airbus A220-300s, each seating a total of 132 passengers – 12 in business class and 120 in economy class. Air Austral received its first Airbus A220-300 in July 2021 (registered as F-OLAV), making it the first French airline to fly the aircraft type.

Today, the carrier uses its Airbus A220-300s on regional routes across the southern Indian Ocean, as well as further afield to Chennai (MAA). With a flight time of around six hours, Air Austral’s Saint Denis to Chennai route is one of the longest Airbus A220 flights in the world.

Photo: Airbus

Boeing 787-8

Air Austral has two Boeing 787-8s in its fleet, with an average age of 6.7 years, each seating 262 passengers – 18 in business class and 244 in economy class. The airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 in October 2016, making it the first French airline to fly the Dreamliner.

Photo: Kittikun Yoksap | Shutterstock

Boeing 777-300ER

The largest aircraft in Air Austral’s fleet is the Boeing 777-300ER, with an average age of 8.3 years. Each of the carrier’s three Boeing 777-300ERs has a tightly packed configuration of 18 in business class, 40 in premium economy, and 384 in economy class.

While that sounds like a lot, it is still lighter than the configuration found on the Boeing 777-300ERs used by Air France to operate to France’s Indian Ocean and Caribbean islands, which carry up to 472 passengers – 14 in business class, 28 in premium economy, and 430 in economy class.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Boeing 737-800

The oldest aircraft in Air Austral’s fleet is the Boeing 737-800. Aircraft F-ONGB is the carrier’s only active Boeing 737-800, and it was delivered in December 2010, making it just over 12 years old. Today it operates regional routes from Roland Garros Airport, to destinations including Johannesburg (JNB) and Nosy Bé (NOS).

Having four different aircraft types of varying sizes gives Air Austral flexibility to use the right-sized aircraft for each of its routes. It is worth mentioning that in addition to the above, there are also two ATR 72-600s and one further Boeing 737-800, which are operated by Air Austral’s subsidiary Ewa Air. These are based at Dzaoudzi International Airport (DZA) on the island of Mayotte.