Casablanca to Miami with RAM

Next spring Royal Air Maroc plans to launch a new connection between Casablanca and Miami - its third destination in the United States after New York and Washington

The Moroccan national airline is expected to inaugurate the new service on April 3, 2019. There will be three flights per week between its base in Casablanca-Mohammed V and Miami Airport, operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Royal Air Maroc has not yet formalised this line and its schedules. Miami has not had a direct route to Africa since 2000 and the departure of South African Airways.

Royal Air Maroc filed an application for authorisation in July to launch flights to Florida, arguing that "40 years of successful operations demonstrate that it is fully qualified to operate in Miami" along with its flights to New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles, which it has been serving since September 2016.

Royal Air Morocco has a code-sharing agreement with JetBlue Airways in the United States, but that airline does not serve Miami. The US and Morocco have signed an open skies agreement, but Casablanca airport does not host any US companies. Royal Air Maroc also serves Montreal in North America, and Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

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RAM - Turbulence Continues

The fight between Royal Air Maroc (RAM) management and the pilots union has created an unending series of last-minute flight cancellations and angry customers

The Royal Air Maroc (RAM) pilots, represented by the National Association of Pilots (AMPL), have grown “inflexible” in their salary demands.

RAM has called off more than 100 flights in two weeks, causing frustration for passengers, who, despite the company’s ongoing troubles continued buying RAM tickets. Passengers hoped that the company’s trouble would not last as long as it now has, according to Moroccan newspaper L’Economiste.

Since the start of the strike on July 18, RAM reportedly lost MAD 20 million daily, and the situation is “growing wayward and unmanageable.” The company is “overwhelmed and does not know what to say,” L’Economiste quoted a senior RAM managing officer as saying.

The rapidly rising costs of the strike pressured RAM’s CEO Abdelhamid Abdou to call for a meeting with AMPL members on Wednesday, July 25. And while the general expectation was that a crisis recovery strategy would be found by August to avoid the grim prospect of losing the busiest and most profitable month of the summer period. However, the company’s pilots have recently hardened their position, claiming that RAM’s work requirements are “untenable.”

An AMPL representative told Moroccan outlet Medias 24 on Tuesday, July 31, that pilots will only resume work when all their demands are met. He said that the pilots would not be lured by a crisis recovery plan that does not address all their requests. He also explained that AMPL’s position is “inflexible” and that RAM could remain paralysed for the remaining days of the summer period.

“For years we were flexible and we did not speak up, but now the situation has become unbearable,” he said. “As far as we are concerned RAM’s commercial office is the only one responsible for the ongoing disturbances at airports.”

Meanwhile, RAM’s bruised reputation continues to be further affected as the company’s customers complain about long delays and last-minute changes of schedule.

RAM has set up special units to inform passengers in a timely manner—a day or two before set departure time—and take care of hotel and restaurants costs for passengers of cancelled night flights. These “preventive measures are a very heavy burden on the company’s finances,” the managing officer was quoted as saying.

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Moroccan Tourism Update

The city of Agadir has passed the milestone of one and a half million overnight stays during the first four months of the current year, according to statistics from the Regional Council of Tourism (CRT) Souss-Massa. Overnights rose by 10.10% to 1,512,929 against 1,374,162 for the same period last year

The analysis of cumulative arrivals during the first four months of the current year also shows an increase in arrivals from 301,171 to 333,012 this year, up 10.57%. French tourists achieved the highest number of overnight stays, 361,624, up 22.32%, followed by German tourists with 277,363 units, or more than 9.10%, while nationals ranked third with 218,762 , down 3.07% from the first four months of 2017.

In terms of ranking by tourist accommodation type, tourist villages lead with a total of 481,600 overnight stays, followed by 5-star hotels (321,563 overnight stays) and 4-star hotels (306,977 overnight stays). The average occupancy rate in classified hotels in Agadir during this period is 52.51%, the CRT indicates that the classified tourist villages reached a rate of 66.47, followed by 5-star hotels with 64.25%.

Emirates doubles its Far East passenger numbers

Emirates Airlines announced on Wednesday (June 6th) that it has succeeded in doubling its number of passengers from the Far East to Morocco and boosting the Kingdom's trade dynamics by introducing the iconic A380 aircraft in March 2017.

Emirates passenger numbers from China increased by more than 200% in December 2017 compared with the same month of 2016, and passenger volumes from Hong Kong increased by more than 100% in the same period where the number of travelers arriving from Japan has improved by more than 60%, said the airline in a statement.

Present in Morocco for 16 years, Emirates "plays an important role by connecting Morocco to markets located in other regions of the world, thus facilitating the economic and commercial activity of the Moroccan economy and allowing the Kingdom to realise one of the main goals of its Open Skies policy, "the airline says.

"We are proud of the fact that, thanks to the A380, we have managed to help strengthen the commercial and tourist relationship that Morocco has always shared with destinations in the Far East and the Middle East. Air transport is no longer a luxury product, it has taken the form of a large industry that can bring enormous benefits to developing economies and unleash their full potential for trade and tourism, "commented Khalid Al Zarooni, Managing Director of Emirates in Morocco.

Emirates operates a daily flight from and to Casablanca. Thanks to the new A380s, Emirates passengers benefit from excellent connections to the main markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), East Asia and Australia. These serve many cities around the world such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, as well as several airports in Saudi Arabia.

The company currently employs more than 670 Moroccans spread across the Group's various departments, the majority of whom are Dubai-based cabin crew.

With its A380, Emirates has been able to redefine the premium travel experience, the source said, noting that first-class passengers have private suites, as well as access to spa showers. at their disposal on board the plane.

Emirates is the airline that uses the largest number of Airbus A380s in the world. Since 2008, Emirates has transported more than 96 million passengers aboard its flagship aircraft. The airline is also the largest customer in the world for the A380. In addition to the multiple A380s that are already in service, another 60 are awaiting delivery by Emirates.

Committed to respecting the environment, Emirates says it operates one of the youngest and most energy-efficient aircraft fleets in the world. So far, Emirates has introduced A380 services in no less than 48 different destinations around the world. Its current fleet consists of 102 Airbus A380s that serve 71 airports.

Royal Air Maroc strengthens its cargo fleet

The Moroccan airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) which intends to impose itself more on the air cargo market, has just acquired a new cargo aircraft.

The Boeing B767-300 Freighter that has a capacity of 45 tons and a long flight time (11 hours against 4 before). This aircraft reinforces the RAM Cargo fleet of 56 aircraft, including 11 widebody aircraft.

This new B767-300 Freighter "will give an undeniable boost to the freight business on a network that continues to expand," said director RAM Cargo, Amine El Farissi.

In fact, the RAM Cargo has, until now, provided freight services on all lines served by the Moroccan national airline, using only the bunker capacity of passenger aircraft and those of a Freighter capacity of 15 tons.

With its new acquisition, RAM Cargo will now offer 3 new products, namely Cargo Pharma for sending temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, Cargo Stable for transporting horses and large live animals, and Cargo. Outsize for oversized shipments.

But more importantly, RAM Cargo will now be able to connect more African countries through the network of the parent company and its airline partners, in line with the development strategy on the continent.

As a first step, the regular program of all Cargo RAM flights will cover 9 destinations in Africa and Europe, including Brussels, Frankfurt, Algiers, Nouakchott, Accra, Lagos, Abidjan, Lome, and Bamako.


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Royal Air Maroc and the Trump Ban

The controversial decree signed by Donald Trump, prohibiting the access to US territory of the nationals of 7 Muslim countries is having repercussions in Morocco for national airline Royal Air Maroc (RAM)

RAM reports that it has received no formal notification of the presidential decision and remains in what the company describes as a "total blur" as to the procedures to follow.

However, the airline authorities have opted for caution in order to prevent passengers from being stopped at the US border. RAM is awaiting clarification from US Civil Aviation and IATA, the International Air Transport Association.

To avoid any inconvenience to passengers without a document issued by the American Embassy or consular authorities authorising travel, RAM will prohibit them access to flights from Casablanca to New York and Casablanca to Washington.

This decision by Royal Air Maroc is not an isolated case: the majority of airlines serving the United States also aligned themselves with this choice.

President Trump's decree is being labelled "anti-Muslim" by the Moroccan media.

At the same time, the media is reporting what it describes as an "encouraging choice by Starbucks and Airbnb".

The online news site http://lesinfos.ma/ writes ... "If air carriers are cautious, other companies clearly show their opposition to this shameful decree. At the head of the line: Airbnb and Starbucks. The Starbucks coffee chain will recruit 10,000 refugees in the next five years, said its CEO Howard Schultz on Sunday. These are people who have fled wars, persecution and discrimination in the 75 countries where the American group is present.

CEO Howard Schultz 

In the United States, Starbucks will start by recruiting refugees who have worked for the US military, such as interpreters.

Mr Schultz, points out that Starbucks is in contact with employees affected by the presidential decree that has imposed severe restrictions on access to US territory and "extreme checks" against nationals Of seven Muslim countries (Syria, Libya, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen).

"We live in an unprecedented period, a time when ... the promise of the American dream is being challenged," he says

And Airbnb has stepped up with offers of free accommodation for those affected, refugees as travellers stranded at airports by these restrictions.

"Airbnb provides free accommodation for refugees and anyone who is banned from entering the United States," said CEO Brian Chesky on Twitter, pledging additional ads. "Contact me if you need accommodation," he concludes. The group plans to use its natural disaster program, which provides for hosts to provide housing for displaced persons.

The online accommodation rental platform, of which about 80% of the accommodation offers are outside the United States, is also considering specific emergency measures if there are no hosts close to where a person struck by the anti-immigration decree is stuck.

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Royal Air Maroc Flights Reflect Ramadan Time Change

Royal Air Maroc will change its flight schedules to GMT from Sunday, June 5, 2016, at 3:00 am, to Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 2:00 am. This is in line with the change to standard (GMT) time which takes place on June 5th

The company says that all its schedules will be changed by one hour and reminds passengers to double check their departure times and arrive early at airport check-in desks.

See daylight saving changes here


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Royal Air Maroc Launches Cheap Winter Flights

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is launching a unique promotion with unusually large discounts for flights to and from several European cities

This winter  flights to Venice, Turin, Brussels, Marseille, Montpellier, London and Madrid, will cost from only 1100 DH (102 Euro, 111USD, 153 AUD)  for a round trip, taxes included.

From within any of these European cities, customers can purchase plane tickets to Rabat from just 90 Euros (£ 99 from London).

All these flights are operated by B.737-800 aircraft.

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Moroccan News Briefs #129

Moroccan security creates "safe haven"

Last summer, Morocco launched "Hadar", a new security mechanism to counter security threats facing the Kingdom The focus was on most of the Morocco’s major cities and tourist destinations.
In the UK, The Times has praised Morocco's security measures, describing Morocco as a "safe haven" and commending the Moroccan authorities and their vigilance in keeping the Morocco safe and secure from the threats of Daesh, the so-called “Islamic State”. It is estimated that 500,000 British citizens visited Morocco each year.

Security in Morocco keeps the Kingdom safe for tourists

“Morocco, a tourist destination for Europeans, remained immune against the convulsions experienced by other countries in the region,” The Times said and added that intense efforts by the Moroccan security services have recently dismantled terrorist cells recruited by the so-called “Islamic State”

Thanks to “Hadar,” and the newly created Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), an FBI-like Bureau of Investigations, the Moroccan Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad said that the Kingdom had dismantled twenty-seven jihadist cells since 2013.

Mustapha El Khalfi, Minister of Communication and government spokesman, has claimed that “no terrorist network can develop in Morocco because the authorities would dismantle it before it could implement its schemes.”

Saudi's make moon sighting mistake - again!

This year, Morocco's early observation of Eid El Fitr seems to have been the most rigorous in the Muslim world and for once the kingdom was not the target of criticism from religious and scholars from the Middle East, as was the case during the celebration of the feast of the sacrifice of sheep in 2014.

The Saudi authorities confused the Shawwal crescent moon with the planet Saturn and proclaimed Eid El Fitr a day too early!

It was a costly mistake and Saudi Arabia has distributed 1.6 billion Rials (about € 393 million) to the poor as a "kaffara (atonement)." The Saudi authorities have applied the rule requiring one who breaks the Ramadan fast voluntarily to feed sixty poor people. In this case that is sixty poor people for every one of the citizens of the Kingdom.

This was revealed  by Ennejemi Mohamed,  a member of the Islamic Fiqh Academy based in Jeddah, in statements to the Al Arabiya TV channel. Later reports suggested that this may be a hoax, however, seasoned observers say that the Saudi's are trying to deflect criticism by claiming misreporting

The error is not only of concern to the Saudis but hundreds of millions of Muslims who choose for political or religious considerations to follow the example of Riyadh. In Tunisia, one of the victims of the Saudi error, the "Mufti of the republic", is at the heart of a controversy.

The Mufti apologised to the people, stressing that the exact date of Eid was Saturday, not Friday.

The case of Algeria is similar to its western neighbour and so, hoax or not it will hopefully sharpen the skills of those who watch the moon.

Arsonists Captured

The Tetouan Royal Gendarmerie have captured two arsonists responsible for two separate forest fires that ravaged about 145 hectares in the provinces of Chefchaouen and Tetouan. The first of the accused is suspected of causing the forest fire in mid-June that devastated about 50 hectares in the town of Beni Hozmar in the province of Tetouan, which firefighters managed to extinguish after for two days , said the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie in Tetouan.

The second man is accused of starting a fire that destroyed 95 hectares of pines and undergrowth plants at Douar Taria in the heart of Talassemtane National Park, which was brought under control last week thanks to the intervention of elements of civil protection, water and forests authority, auxiliary forces, local authorities and volunteers.

The fire was extinguished through the use of seven aircraft of the Royal Gendarmerie.

Royal Air Maroc- RAM - "I would rather ride on a mule"

Morocco World News reports yet another red-face moment for Royal Air Maroc. The airline has gathered a very bad reputation for major delays, lost luggage, total indifference, poor service, and extremely expensive prices. Now they have outdone themselves by creating chaos at JFK airport in New York.

Hundreds of Moroccans were booked to fly to Morocco to celebrate  for Eid al Fitr. But, according to Morocco World News, the plane was overbooked.

RAM flight number AT 203, scheduled to take off at 9:20 am from JFK in New York to Casablanca, was reportedly delayed for two hours, according to RAM officials. But worse was to come, when dozens of passengers were told they might to be able to fly until Thursday, thus missing the Eid celebrations completely.

“I am with my family at JFK, our flight was supposed to leave at 9:20 am, they said that it was delayed couple hours and now they said that we cannot fly today and want to rebook us for tomorrow 1pm!” one of the passengers told Morocco World News. She went on to add that attendants told passengers the Flight 203 is overbooked, only to come back two hours later to say that the plane won’t fly because of technical problems.

Witnesses told Morocco World News that the passengers were very angry and protested against the decision, especially because not all of them are based in New York. “The police officer was asking people to stop yelling,” the same source added.

Morocco World News obtained footage of some of the passengers telling the story. In the video, one of the passengers says he drove with his family from Maryland (292 km away from New York) to JFK airport after booking Flight 203.

“Once we arrived to the airport they told us the flight will be postponed for two hours, and later they told us the flight is overbooked, urging us to book for tomorrow,” he said.

The passenger, who seemed very angry, told MWN that he is not sure RAM will be able to fly tomorrow, either. “Perhaps, they will ask us to rebook for the day after tomorrow, and thus celebrate Eid Al Fitr in JFK airport,” he concluded.

RAM causes chaos at JFK

The footage also shows other passengers threatening to boycott RAM. One of them is heard saying that he would rather fly with “Air France or travel to Morocco riding a mule, than booking on RAM.”

For their part, RAM have responded, blaming "technical failure". "It is very common in air transport especially during peak periods. All companies may be subject. When it happened, we tried to repair it. But when we saw it was going to take time, we mobilised another plane," says an official at the headquarters of the company, claiming anonymity. "Of course we apologise for any inconvenience suffered by the passengers," he added, noting that the company has "taken care of all passengers: accommodation, food and other" until boarding.

Passengers flying to Morocco don’t have a choice but to fly with Morocco’s national carrier, Royal Air Maroc, which has monopolised flights from the US and Canada to Morocco for decades.

Passengers either have to take layovers in Europe or travel with RAM. Members of the Moroccan community living in North America started a petition, requesting the creation of direct flights on North American carriers linking the United States and Canada to Morocco.

In a letter to North American carriers, petitioners called on United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, US Airways, Air Transat, and Delta Airlines to launch direct flights between North America and Morocco.

It seems very clear, RAM's monopoly must end.

"Inzegane Girls" do police work for them

Police in Inzegane have been let off the hook by some bold detective work by the two women at the heart of the notorious "Inzegane Girls Case". The police had been criticised for charging the women, and not their attackers.

In a smart move, and before they lodge an official complaint, the two girls disguised themselves in traditional clothes and went to the souq where they had been attacked.  Unrecognised by the locals they found the names of their attackers and give them to the police. The police had little option but to accept have the testimony of two girls against four of their attackers.

The police now appear to have the whole story: the women's arrival in the souq to buy products for the hair salon where they work, their encirclement by the attackers and eventually how they fled to a cosmetic shop. The four accused are said to have assaulted them while trying to get them out of the shop to attack them further.

The police have belatedly sprung into action against the four defendants by gathering evidence in the souq and retrieving images of the store surveillance camera where the girls had found refuge.

The "Inezgane Girls Case" triggered a popular protest across the country with demonstrations in the streets and on social networks under the slogan "wearing a skirt is not a crime." Women's rights associations, Moroccan political parties and personalities came together to protest at sit-ins in several cities of the Kingdom. The Interior Ministry even had to intervene to rein in "the brigades of virtue" and emphasised that enforcement is the exclusive prerogative of the competent authorities.

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Royal Air Maroc Adds a Second Dreamliner

The Royal Air Morocco (RAM) airline continues its upgrades with the Airline officially taking possession of his second 787-8 Dreamliner at Mohammed V airport in Casablanca

RAM received its first 787-8 Dreamliner on January 3, and the second this week. The latest addition to its fleet is configured for 18 Business Class passengers and 256 in Economy. According to the airline, Royal Air Morocco passengers will benefit from optimal travel comfort and reduce 25 minutes of travel time on routes to New York from Casablanca and Casablanca-Montreal. The company also serves Sao Paulo in Brazil.

This new delivery is part of an order for a total of five B787 Dreamliners. The third will be delivered in March 2016. The other two aircraft will be delivered in April 2016 and March 2017.

The first Dreamliner entered commercial service on the 19th of January 2015, with training flights daily between Casablanca-Mohammed V and Paris-Orly, flights to New York-JFK and since March 31, 2015 Dakar in Senegal.

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Royal Air Maroc ~ Against Cockpit Replacements

While airline organisations around the globe are changing their cockpit security by having a replacement for a pilot or co-pilot who leaves the cockpit, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is bucking the trend

Driss Benhima (left), RAM CEO ~ "No replacement in cockpit"

In an interview on Atlantic Radio, the RAM CEO, Driss Benhima said "We take very seriously the Germanwings accident but we believe that these decisions should not be made ​​in haste. We are not asking a stewardess or steward to replace a pilot during his absence. It is not a good idea and does not contribute at all to the security of the cockpit."

In other Royal Air Maroc news, on March 29 RAM inaugurated its Casablanca-Tangier-Gibraltar schedule, with two trips a week, Thursday and Sunday.

The route will be operated by an ATR72-600, with a capacity of 72 seats, with two classes, economy and business. The line will be one of the shortest intercontinental air routes, linking Africa to Europe in less than 40 minutes flying time.

The flight departs Tangier at 9:30am for Casablanca, then takes off at 11:05 and finally lands in Gibraltar at 12:55.

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Royal Air Maroc Set To Expand With New Aircraft

According to reports carried by Reuters, MAP and other agencies the Moroccan national airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is in the market to buy up to twenty and thirty new-generation planes, including fifteen medium-haul and five long-haul jets

Driss Benhima, the RAM CEO says that he would like to purchase the aircraft "as soon as possible".

Royal Air Maroc's fleet of about 44 medium and long-haul aircraft is becoming obsolete, at the same time as the airline has sought to develop Casablanca as a regional hub, connecting mostly poorly served west African capitals to Europe and North America.

"We wish to renew our fleet with the new-generation planes, and we need between 20 and 30 additional jets by 2020", RAM Chief Executive Driss Benhima told state news agency Map.

For long-haul, Benhima said he would be interested in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which competes with Airbus 350 , as the aircraft burns 15 percent less fuel than the current generation.

He said the Airbus Neo and Boeing Max were attractive medium haul options while the C series of Bombardier or Embraer were also being considered.

"If we want to develop and protect our market share, we must think of buying new planes," the CEO said.

RAM is looking beyond the Euro crisis which hit tourism, its main source of revenue, to develop its business and take on competition from European airlines. Morocco signed an Open Skies agreement with the European Union in 2006 allowing new airline competitors, including low-budget carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet.

Benhima didn't give details for the company's financing plan. The company's operating profit was 718 million dirhams ($84.5 million) in 2012, the best result since the 1990.

Morocco, which has been thinking about reducing its stake in RAM for more than 20 years, led major efforts to restructure the group last year in a move that tourism operators said was a sign the state was preparing for a sale.

But the transport minister Abdelaziz Rebbah has said he would rather pursue a strategic partnership with an airline from one of the Gulf states or beyond, than sell a stake in its flag carrier.

Regular travellers will also be hoping that inflight service will be upgraded to match the new aircraft as onboard refreshments have lately been widely criticised as being way below international standards.  "A stale bread sandwich is not an inflight meal," according to one recent passenger.


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Moroccan News Briefs #97

Gibraltar donates ambulances to Moroccan towns

This week Gibraltar's Minister for Health and Environment, John Cortes, presented the donation of two ambulances to the Moroccan Municipality of Oued Laou and nearby city of Tetouan. The donation was the result of a request for assistance by the head the village council, Mayor Mohamed Melahi.

The ambulances were handed over to the village representatives in Gibraltar, Abel Suisi, and Mohamed Bentaleb, who are the men in charge of driving the ambulances to its destination.

Oued Laau is a Moroccan village situated on the Mediterranean coast approximately 45km from the city of Tetouan. The vital need for ambulances in the village was highlighted by the death of a young woman who had waited almost four hours before an ambulance from Tetouan was able to reach her. The ambulance is the second of three ambulances that have now been decommissioned by the Gibraltar Health Authority as part of its on-going plan to replace its present ambulance fleet. The Gibraltar Health Authority is expecting delivery of five new ambulances towards the end of summer.

“I have fond memories if Oued Laou, from when I was carrying out ecological surveys in the area several years ago, so I am doubly pleased that we have been able to assist the people of that community, not very far south of Gibraltar, by providing them with a much needed ambulance. This serves to confirm and cement our growing links with our southern neighbours at all levels,” commented Dr John Cortes.


Moroccan hashish goes up in smoke

Moroccan customs authorities on Thursday incinerated 9.5 tonnes of cannabis resin in a suburb of Casablanca, official media reported, days after record hashish hauls in neighboring Spain.

The drugs, which were seized in two separate operations last year by customs authorities at Casablanca port, were burned in the presence of government officials, police and members of the royal gendarmerie, the MAP news agency reported.

The first bust was made in June during the inspection of a truck bound for Belgium and found more than 5.7 tonnes of cannabis resin, or "chira" as it is known locally, divided into 10 kilo packages and hidden in hundreds of boxes.

The second operation a month later intercepted 3.78 tons of chira hidden in a truck carrying tiles from Fez to the Belgian port city of Antwerp.

Late last month, Spanish police found 32 tonnes of the drug in a truck carrying melons from Morocco. Then on Monday, the same police force announced that they had seized 52 tonnes of hashish in an industrial warehouse in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba, setting a European record.

Morocco is one of the world's largest producers of hashish, and the main exporter to Europe.


Royal Air Maroc could tie up with Gulf airline

Royal Air Maroc, the Moroccan-government owned airline, could tie up with a major carrier in the Gulf ahead of a later privatisation, according to the country’s tourism minister, Haddah Lahcen.

The airline, which was bailed out by authorities to the tune of $193m, has faced increased competition from other operators in Morocco following the introduction of Morocco’s open-skies policy in 2007. The government also handed Air Maroc $900m with which to upgrade itself by 2016.

Asked if the government could align with a Gulf-based carrier such as Dubai’s Emirates Airline or Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, Haddah Lahcen responded: “We wouldn’t rule that out. Those are very respectable, very big, well-managed companies with a very good business model. There will be privatisation, but I think there will probably be some kind of strategic alliance with a good carrier,” Lahcen told Arabian Business in an interview in Dubai. “There will be complementary routes for Air Maroc, which has a very strong presence in West Africa and Western Europe.”


Another accident on the Casablanca tramway

The people of Casablanca are still getting used to their fabulous new tramway. Unfortunately not everyone is aware of the dangers. Yesterday a small car collided with a tram around 11:30 am on the Avenue of the Royal Armed Forces. The accident occurred when the car tried to cross the tracks before an oncoming tram.

The motorist was evacuated, still conscious, to a hospital emergency room for medical care. The Minister of Transport, Azziz Rebbah, had already pointed to the bad driving style in Casablanca back in 2011. In March, a serious collision between a tram and a truck occurred injuring two people and causing extensive damage.


Explosion at Cement Morocco's Safi Factory

A dozen people were injured to varying degrees, following an explosion Monday morning in the factory "Cement of Morocco" in Safi. According to medical sources at Mohammed V Regional Hospital, where 10 injured were transferred, eight workers suffered first degree burns, while two others are victims of third degree burns. The two seriously injured workers will be transferred to the Ibn Rushd hospital in Casablanca. The explosion was due to an unscheduled outage in a rotary kiln cement, officials said. The plant is located 35 kilometers north of the city of Safi, in the rural town of Ha'ir


Smuggling Babies from Morocco to Spain

There is a new twist in Spain's so-called “stolen babies” scandal which erupted at the end of 2010. Police said this week that they had uncovered a racket in which babies born to needy mothers in Morocco and the Spanish occupied enclave of Melilla were sold to wealthy families in Spain during the 1970s and 1980s.

Police have identified 28 cases where newborns were taken from their mothers and sold to childless families in mainland Spain for between 1,200 and 6,000 euros ($1,600 and $8,000). The ring charged a higher price for newborn girls because there was a greater demand for daughters.

In the Spanish held territory of Melilla the ring either paid the mothers for their newborns or convinced them to give them up with the promise that the child would have a better life in Spain.

“In Morocco the ring had contacts with healthcare workers and hospital employees in Oujda and Nador who facilitated the delivery and transportation of the newborns to Melilla,” a police statement said, referring to places in Morocco near the border of the territory.

Members of the ring would hand over the babies to the families in Melilla along with false documents which certified them as being the biological parents of the newborns. Police identified 31 people who they suspect were involved in the baby trafficking, including three healthcare workers and two nuns. Twelve suspects have died and the rest were not detained for the time being because they are either very old or in poor health.

The suspects are accused of various crimes including forging documents, illegal detention and making a false birth declaration, police said.

The alleged victims say a secret network of doctors and nuns stole newborn babies and sold them for adoption, starting under the 1939-75 dictatorship of General Francisco Franco and continuing up to the 1980s. Some 1,500 court cases have been filed with prosecutors by people hoping to track down their lost relatives but judges have shelved many cases on the grounds that the deeds were committed too long ago.

Police opened their investigation into the Morocco and Melilla ring in November 2011 following a complaint from ANADIR, an association formed to represent victims of the scandal.


Reviving ancient Moroccan granaries project nominated for Agha Khan Award for Architecture

Salima Naji has been recognized by the Aga Khan Development Network for her efforts to revive a series of earth buildings in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Working with the Ministry of Interior, Naji hired and trained local unskilled workers to restore a network of fortified citadels and granaries in southern Morocco that are both historically and spiritually important to the local population. She then added a few extra touches so that these once abandoned sites function once again as thriving civic centers that celebrate Berber culture.

The Berbers were once renowned for their architecture. Having thrived in harsh desert conditions, they knew all about water management, passive solar design, and insulated earth construction. But modern interventions and globalization have rendered their culture somewhat obsolete and Salima Naji sought to reverse that unfortunate trend.

Not only did she restore two important sites at Agadir of Amtoudi, but she also oversaw the rehabilitation of Qsar Assa and rescued sections of Agadir Ouzrou.

The beautiful stone and earth buildings won’t necessarily resume their former function as warehouses for grain. Instead, they have been revived to honor their former cultural and spiritual significance, and to provide a space for Berbers to reawaken their rich and colorful heritage.

Village squares, public walkways and outdoor theaters have been added to the sites where poetry contents, feasts, and song and dance festivals are held, creating a whole new sense of pride.

Naji is one of 20 nominees for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture – a prestigious prize awarded every three years that comes with some serious financial rewards.

While other North African and Middle Eastern countries have watched important historical sites destroyed in the turbulent aftermath of the Arab Spring, Morocco has undertaken a host of preservation projects – including the restoration of synagogues throughout the nation mandated by the King.

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established by the Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence. The Award recognizes examples of architectural excellence in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community improvement and development, historic preservation, reuse and area conservation, as well as landscape design and improvement of the environment.

First published in Green Prophet


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Latest Airline News from Morocco

Royal Air Maroc looks for Gulf partner

News today that Royal Air Maroc is seriously considering selling a massive stake in the company to a partner, yet to be selected. The figure being talked about is a 44% stake. While large, this would leave Royal Air Maroc with a controlling interest.

While the airline has hinted at a partnership from one of the Gulf states, no decision has been made other than to look into the idea. A Royal Air Maroc statement says, simply, "We will listen to their ideas on how they see this partnership." This statement yesterday, quoted in Les Echos, also said "For our part, we propose the sale of up to 44% shares in RAM for the selected partner".

The proposal will be made during a rare tour by King Mohammed of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan that starts on Tuesday.

RAM has seen its own financial troubles in recent years, cutting staff and upgrading its aircrafts fleet in a restructuring process aimed to mitigate losses.

In 2011, RAM took $187 million from the state to shore up finances hit by growing competition, lower sales and higher fuel prices. This government capital injection appears to correspond to the 44 percent stake the government may sell, official statistics showed.

RAM operates a fleet of more than 55 aircraft to some 83 destinations in Africa, Europe, Middle East and North America.


Casablanca to Toulouse now with Air Arabia

Concern over the effect on tourism of Jet4You pulling out of the Casablanca to Toulouse route has decreased with the news that Air Arabia will replace Jet4You on the sector.

Toulouse is now well served, with Air France and Royal Air Maroc also providing the same link. Jet4You abandons Toulouse from 26 October.

Meanwhile Air Arabia continues to expand and will introduce new services to many destinations from Morocco this autumn. From 28 October, the company will operate a flight to the Emirates every Sunday. And in mid-November, Air Arabia will add a new flight on Thursdays, to the same destination.

The airline is the first and largest low cost airline in the Middle East, Air Arabia operates scheduled services to 46 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and Europe to 22 countries from Sharjah, 11 destinations in 10 countries from Casablanca and 5 destinations in 5 countries from Alexandria.

Its main base is Sharjah International Airport where it functions as a low cost conduit base, similar to low cost airport bases in Europe such as Rome Ciampino, London Stansted and Brussels South Charleroi Airport.


RyanAir to return to Fez

With all the anger over RyanAir's withdrawal from London to Fez still bubbling away, news is that the airline will be back - but not during the supposed "low season". According to the airline's website the Fez route will be back in operation Sunday 31 March 2013 and bookings can be made up until Sunday June 30th. At this stage flights will run Monday to Thursday from Stansted. This is particularly good news for the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.


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Moroccan News Briefs #73

Abortion campaign - mixed reception

According to reports on Radio Netherlands, a boat known as the ‘abortion boat’ is setting sail for Morocco. It will be the first visit by the Dutch organisation Women on Waves (WOW) who are due to launch a campaign this week, in cooperation with local youth group M.A.L.I. (Mouvement Alternatif pour les Libertés Individuelles)

The group, Women on Waves, was founded 11 years ago to offer sexual health services including medical abortions. In order not to break local laws the group works on board a Dutch ship outside the territorial waters of countries where abortion is illegal. WOW was invited to Morocco by M.A.L.I. In a petition launched last month, the Moroccan group said they want to “put an end to illegal practices that present many dangers by providing access to legal abortion, health checked to save lives.”

In most Islamic countries, including Morocco, abortion is illegal unless the life of the mother is in danger. The only exception in the region is Tunisia which has reformed its laws and now has a more liberal stance.

According to AFP, the authorities' response to the initiative remains unknown, with local daily Al-Tajdid, the mouthpiece of Morocco's ruling Islamist party, questioning whether the government would allow the ship to enter Moroccan waters.

The founder of WOW. Dr Rebecca Gomperts, says that Rabat's reaction was "hard to predict," but she argued that any attempt to block the visit would be an "illegal" intervention in the freedom of travel and the freedom of expression.

She denied it was an inappropriate time for the visit, despite religious sensitivities running high in Muslim countries after violent protests last month against a US-made anti-Islam film and the publication of blasphemous cartoons in France.

"I understand that (the visit) is seen as a provocation by some religious groups. But this is about women's health. It has nothing to do with religion."

According to unofficial estimates, between 600 and 800 women in Morocco undergo an illegal abortion every day. The World Health Organisation estimates that worldwide, some 47,000 women die annually as the result of unsafe abortions.

Spanish Government Support for Morocco on Sahara Issue Welcomed

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo

Morocco has welcomed the position taken by the Spanish government on the Western Sahara conflict and political developments that Morocco has made in recent years in order to build a democratic state. The Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said at a conference on "The foreign policy of Spain in the Mediterranean", at the headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), that "Morocco has embarked on the path of reform," and about the Western Sahara conflict, he said: "the biggest challenge for Morocco will probably be the implementation of the autonomy of the southern territories. "

In this statement, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs did not refer to "Western Sahara", as is the custom among the Spanish politicians, but "the southern territories", which demonstrates a clear change in approach of the Government of Mariano Rajoyen in favour  of the stance of Rabat on the Moroccan former Spanish colony. This summer, García-Margallo called Spanish humanitarian activists working in the Sahrawi camps in Tindouf (Algerian Sahara) to leave the  territory for safety reasons, especially since they have become a favorite target of Islamic terrorism.

Morocco had feared that the arrival of the Popular Party (PP) government might mean the abandonment of Madrid's support for the interests of Morocco in the Sahara, initiated by the previous Socialist government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

The socialist leader had ignored some voices within his own party (PSOE) and implicitly backed the formula advocated by Rabat - broad autonomy within the Kingdom of Morocco.

Rajoy, who is aware of the major economic and geostrategic interests that Spain Morocco and North Africa, and who knows the Rabat's role in the fight against terrorism and illegal immigration, wants to reach a bilateral relationship slice from the past.

The Rajoy government still has a long way to go to consolidate Hispano-Moroccan relations and, as has happened in the previous Socialist government, he will face much internal opposition, including from the ranks of the PP, as well as in political and social sectors who see Morocco as an enemy that must be kept at a distance.

Royal Air Maroc adds flights

Starting on October 11, RAM will launch three weekly flights from Madrid to Tangier. The move by Royal Air Moroc will strengthen air links between Spain and the Kingdom of Morocco. A statement from the national airline says that tickets for this new route are already on sale. RAM will connect to the Spanish capital to the Northern Morocco's chief city with three weekly flights: Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

Morocco's Road Toll

According to the Moroccan Minister of Equipment and transport, Aziz Rebbah, more than 2,700 have been killed in traffic accidents during the first 8 months of 2012 an increase of 4.4% compared to the same period last year. Accidents also seriously injured 8042 (0.58%) and 59,602 minor injuries (0.73%).

Morocco's Coastal Ecology

European scientists are coming to the rescue of the country's beaches. Many Moroccan beaches are a mess. But scientists of the expedition "The Changing Ocean" have arrived in Morocco and want to "reconcile with the ocean". According to a Scottish scientist, David French, "In all countries there is a long way to go, but in Morocco, we can see with our own eyes, so much plastic waste". (Source: Yabiladi)

Moroccan Couscous a winner

Moroccan Couscous won the prize for best presentation at the end of the 15th edition of "Couscous Fest," a festival of cultural integration held for a week in San Vito Lo Capo, near Trapani (Sicily, Southern Italy ). Moroccan chefs had made the trip to this famous fishing village in Italy, to compete for creativity and originality in the preparation of couscous recipes. The resulting Moroccan dishes were judged to be more varied when compared with other competitors.

Morocco wins 2012 African Kickboxing Championship

News from Starafrica.com is that Morocco have won the 2012 African Kickboxing Championship that held in Antananarivo, Madagascar over the weekend. They gleaned eight gold medals while the host country followed behind with seven victories.

This competition has been described as the best so far as it brought together close to 200 fighters from seven countries, fourteen referees and judges from Europe. It was also the first time in the history of the championships that a computerize system has been used for points counting.

And finally...

A strange story of a hat. Over the years, millions of Fezes are purchased by tourists and taken to their home countries. The View from Fez tracked one hat that left Morocco forty years ago and is still in active use.

The Fez in question was purchased in Casablanca and then made its way to Finland. It remained with the original owner for thirty years and was then handed on to Mark Uotilla, the proprietor of Töölön Sikarikauppa - the most famous pipe and cigar shop in the Finnish capital Helsinki.

The wearing of a Fez has become traditional amongst the shop's cigar club which meets regularly to enjoy a quiet smoke and a chat.  However, as we discovered, Mr Uotilla wears it on a far more regular basis. Adding to the surprise was his Arabic language skills and depth of knowledge about Morocco. He is a worthy owner of this now elderly Fez.

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Morocco's Looming Low Cost Airline Crisis - Analysis

ONDA, Morocco's airport authority continues to be under fire for its failure to fix the mess caused by the issue of handling companies in Morocco. ONDA is using only two handling companies in all the country's airports and one of them belongs Royal Air Maroc.  Morocco News Board reflected - "Are these practices by ONDA consist of a backdoor monopoly that favors Royal Air Maroc? ONDA has issued a statement that deny forcing the airline's choice of handling companies. These statements need to be taken with a grain of salt when one is aware of the cozy relationships between ONDA and RAM."

When ONDA announced the new handling arrangements and increased the price structure, reaction was swift. Ryanair announced the cancellation of eight weekly flights to Nador, six weekly flights to Fez, eight weekly flights to Marrakech, four weekly flights to Tangier, and the closure of its operations at Oujda Airport.

Ryanair reported that ONDA had forced the company to work with a new handling company, causing an increase in the airline’s charges. The stand-off between the low cost airlines and ONDA has still not been resolved.

It seems woolly thinking to expect increased handling charges to produce more revenue if the actual numbers of flights and tourists decreases. Hopefully commonsense will eventually prevail.

Questions remain as to Royal Air Maroc's long-term plans. Has the ONDA handling problem been a mistake, or part of a much bigger strategy?

ANALYSIS

Royal Air Maroc’s return to profitability following the global economic downturn has been matched by the expansion of a number of Moroccan airports which have increased their handling costs. This is beginning to challenge the growth of low cost carriers and their future operations in the country, reports Oxford Business Group (OBG).

Over the last- 10 years Morocco has completed two strategic investment plans in its transport sector from 2003-2007 with an investment of 58 billion dirhams (5.18 billion euros and the other from 2008-2012 with some 120 billion dirhams (10.73 billion euros).

These investment have funded the expansion of several air terminals including Casablanca Terminal 1 which is expected to cost 173 million euros with a capacity on completion of 8 million passengers . A third terminal is planned for Marrakech – Menara International Airport and a second terminal at Fez-Saiss Airport.

Extensions completed at airports in Oujda, Dakhla and Rabat. The new terminal at Rabat-Salé Airport, for example, which opened in January 2012, cost approximately Dh280m (€25.38m). The airport can now handle 1.5m passengers annually, up from 500,000 in 2008. In June, Jetairfly, a Belgium-based airline, launched twice-weekly flights between the Moroccan capital and Brussels.

The liberalisation of the sector in 2004 and the signing of the Open Skies policy in 2006 has seen 45 airlines operating in the country. This allowed international and low cost airlines to compete in the market. Flight costs dropped following the arrival of several low-cost carriers, such as Air Arabia Maroc and Jet4you, while passenger numbers increased. RAM experienced 2 years of rising fuel prices, increased competion and a fall in demand due to the global economic downturn. RAM faced the competition by developing Casablanca into an international transport hub with increased links to Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East.

Following the closure of Atlas Blue, its own low cost carrier, in 2010 RAM embarked on a period of restructuring and the cutting of unprofitable routes. The Moroccan government then provided RAM with Dh1.6bn (€145.03m) to help the company achieve profitability.

RAM has since been highly successful and has maintained its connections to neighbouring African countries and Europe, cut its workforce by 35% and reduced its fleet to 43 aircraft, from 53 in 2010. As a result, by June 2012, RAM had managed to exceed the 5.7% turnover target imposed by the government. In April 2012, RAM announced that it may seek a strategic partner to help further boost its business profitability.

The Moroccan Airports Authority ONDA has worked to attract more international airlines to Morocco and increase airport capacity to 36 million passengers a year. It has increased its handing charges which has led low cost airlines Ryanair and Easy Jet to announce the cancellation of routes to Morocco. Ryanair is cancelling 34 routes to Morocco including Marrakech in october which it says will result in the loss of 255,000 passengers. EasyJet is cancelling its Madrid Morocco flights but there have been no further announcement of route cancellations as yet.

The Oxford Business Group is in agreement with almost every analyst and commentator that if other low cost carries also cancel routes it could have a serious effect on tourist locations in the country, especially Marrakech, where half of the 232 flights carried out weekly are operated by low-cost airlines. This will impact on tourism revenues.

This information is provided by Oxford Business Group the acclaimed global publishing, research and consultancy firm.’: Oxford Business Group


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More Turbulence for Morocco's Troubled Airline Industry

At a time when Morocco's tourism industry is being rocked by the withdrawal of a large number of flights by low cost airlines and the failure of the National Airport Authority ONDA to sort out the mess it created with Easyjet and Ryanair, the last thing Morocco needed was international attention on its baggage handling fees.

The U.S. Department of Transportation this week fined Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, and Royal Air Maroc for violating the Department’s expanded airline passenger protection rules that took effect in January. The rules have been in place in other countries for some years and are normal customer protection standards. The rules require the disclosure of fees for baggage and the inclusion of assurances in its customer service plan allowing consumers to cancel a reservation without penalty for 24 hours after they book a flight

Royal Jordanian Airlines violated the rule on full-fare advertising and the rule requiring the disclosure of fees for baggage and was assessed a civil penalty of $70,000.

Egypt Air violated rules and was assessed a civil penalty of $60,000.

Royal Air Maroc also violated the rule requiring the disclosure of fees for baggage and was assessed a civil penalty of $60,000. Although this is a paltry amount, the Department also ordered each carrier to cease and desist from further violations.

Under the new rules, all government taxes and fees must be incorporated in the fare. The rule applies to both US and foreign airlines as well as ticket agents. The Department discovered the violations during its ongoing review of carrier websites to ensure compliance with its consumer protection rules.

“Airline passengers deserve to be treated fairly when they fly, and that means knowing the full price of their trip, including charges for checking baggage, as well as being given the opportunity to cancel a reservation without penalty for 24 hours after booking”  - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

It is ironic that the issue of handling is at the heart of ONDA's problems with Easyjet and Ryanair. Ryanair claimed the Moroccan government’s airports authority had “reneged” on an agreement“ by imposing a new monopoly handling company on Ryanair which would have resulted in a massive increase in charges for the airline”.

Just like Easyjet, the Irish company complains of increasing taxes for the use of Moroccan airports, but goes further. Ryanair considers that by passing this measure, ONDA has violated the rules of the contract that bound them. According to Ryanair, will result in fewer flights to Morocco and the loss of 100,000 tourists per year and cause an annual loss in tourism spending and job losses for the Moroccan economy estimated at 50 million euros.


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Ryanair v Morocco - So Far a Scoreless Draw

There is no doubt that there is a tough game of bluff being played between Morocco and Ryanair. However, as The View from Fez suggested (see story here) , the ambit claims are simply opening moves in a longer tussle. Ryanair's cuts, of 34 weekly services from October, represent about 15% of its seats – less dramatic than it would like the public and ONDA (the Moroccan Office National Des Aéroports) to believe – and still leaving it #2 after Royal Air Maroc. Ryanair disputes the imposition of a new monopoly handling company claiming it will mean “a massive increase in charges.” The airline has had a combative relationship with many European airport authorities in recent years and has not hesitated to reduce services when faced with higher costs.

There is no doubt that, for a number of reasons, airline growth in Morocco has stalled and that now is probably the wrong time for ONDA to be trying to stare-down Ryanair. 

After a phenomenal period of growth that saw passenger numbers Morroccan airports double from 7.7 million in 2004 to 15.4 million in 2010, last year saw passenger traffic grew just 2%. The rapid growth can be almost completely explained by Morocco’s decision to sign an ‘open-skies’ agreement with the EU in December 2005, opening the way for Europe’s route hungry low-cost carriers to explore a new, tourist-friendly region only just a little bit further away than the south Spain resorts.

Closer analysis of the figures for 2012 provided by ONDA shows that the French market is down only 4%, but that demand from the rest of Europe has dropped 12%. Curiously the domestic Moroccan market itself is down just under 10%.

Passenger numbers at the country’s three biggest airports (Casablanca, Marrakech and Agadir) remained almost unchanged in 2011 with growth coming from Nador (+29%), Tangier (+11%) and Oujda (+10%). As a result Nador has leapfrogged Oujda to be the country’s sixth busiest airport. Casablanca handled 7.3 million passengers in 2011.

Ryanair Still #2 in Morocco

Morocco’s national carrier Royal Air Maroc still accounts for almost half of all scheduled seat capacity at the country’s airports, although its share has fallen slightly compared with last summer. Second-ranked Ryanair recently announced that it plans to axe 34 weekly services from 1 October, representing around 15% of its Moroccan summer seat capacity, including all flights at Oujda. However, this will still leave it as the second biggest carrier in the Moroccan market.

A significant development has been the decision by local TUI subsidiary, jet4you, to become part of Belgian TUI subsidiary Jetairfly. This explains the big jump in Jetairfly’s market share since last summer.

The Moroccan low-cost airline Jet4you, was started in 2005, but "since its inception, the Moroccan airline ran at an annual loss," says Hans Vanhaelemeesch, a spokesman for Jetairfly.

Due to its small size Jet4you was hit hard by the economic crisis. This strategic merger will involve staff, flights, and planes as well as costing 39 Moroccan jobs with another 259 at risk. Jetairfly carried 2.2 million travellers in 2011. In 2012, its fleet will comprise 20 aircraft, mostly new generation Boeing 737s. The close collaboration between the two companies will enhance their position as well as create an opportunity to strive for further growth.

Air France has almost doubled its market share thanks to the launch of services to Casablanca and Marrakech from its new regional bases in Marseille and Toulouse. Another carrier to significantly increase its market share in Morocco since last year is British Airways, which has taken over bmi’s Agadir, Casablanca and Marrakech services, although the Marrakech service does not operate in winter.

Emirates is now ranked inside the top 12 and has gained market share by replacing its daily A340-500 service with the larger 777-300ER. Qatar Airways and Etihad also serve Casablanca from their hubs in the Middle East.

New routes this summer from five Moroccan airports

Compared with last summer there have been rather fewer new airline services starting this summer but Air France, germanwings (which has not previously served Morocco), and Ryanair, have each launched three new services.

Airport	Destination (Airline, start date, weekly frequency)
Casablanca	Cologne/Bonn (germanwings, 6 June, 1) Malaga (Hellitt Lineas Aereas, 4 May, 4) Toulouse (Air France, 2 April, 3)
Marrakech	Marseille (Air France, 25 March, 3) Toulouse (Air France, 1 April, 2)
Nador	Cologne/Bonn (germanwings, 30 March, 1-2) Frankfurt Hahn (Ryanair, 27 March, 2) Girona (Ryanair, 25 March, 2)
Oujda	Madrid (Air Europa, 24 July, 1) Marseille (Ryanair, 27 March, 2)
Tangier	Cologne/Bonn (germanwings, 7 June, 1)

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