Royal Air Maroc announces expansion of its fleet
Royal Air Maroc, Morocco's state-owned airline, is preparing to launch a tender for new long- and medium-haul aircraft. The company has decided to take this step in an attempt to expand its flight network, as tourist arrivals to the country are expected to increase.
These figures were announced at the Bloomberg New Economy Gateway Africa conference, held on 13-14 June in Marrakech. It brought together leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss the world's most pressing issues and assess possible solutions in the context of local and regional priorities. These included the global economy, energy and the supply chain.
Bloomberg founder Michael R. Bloomberg was enthusiastic about the conference last November: "As we expand our New Economy meetings to Africa, we look forward to expanding our conversations in Morocco, an important gateway for global trade and climate action".
During an interview at the conference venue, CEO Abdelhamid Addou revealed that the airline plans to introduce numerous new routes, with a focus on Africa, Europe and the Americas.
Currently, the airline has a fleet of about 50 aircraft, mostly Boeing Co. models, with 42 Boeing aircraft, 4 Embraer and 6 ATR72.
Addou stressed that a larger fleet is essential for Royal Air Maroc to establish itself as a global airline and to capitalise on Morocco's attractiveness as a popular tourist destination. The airline aims to transform its Casablanca base into a leading transit hub for sub-Saharan Africa, as there is significant untapped potential on the continent that should be tapped by the territory's airlines.
In recent years, many African airlines have faced financial difficulties and management problems, allowing international aviation giants such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines to strengthen their presence on the continent.
Morocco World News reports that, during a recent speech to the House of Representatives, Addou highlighted the remarkable success of the company despite the absence of financial support from the government since 2012. He acknowledged, however, the government's crucial help in facing the twin challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising energy prices.
During the first quarter of 2023, from January to March, Royal Air Maroc served a considerable number of passengers, meeting the needs of 2.7 million travellers.
Looking ahead to its ambitious programme for this year, the airline aims to offer a remarkable 6.2 million seats on 90 routes during the summer season. This expansion plan reflects the company's commitment to offer greater connectivity to a wide range of destinations.