Royal Air Maroc is preparing to place a historic order with Boeing and Airbus for nearly one hundred aircraft, navigating the challenges posed by the ongoing fuel crisis exacerbated by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This crisis is taking a toll on the aviation industry, particularly affecting routes such as the temporary suspension of the Barcelona-Tanger service. This route, which was operational until recently from El Prat Airport, transported 83,580 passengers between January and April, accounting for 0.5% of the total passenger traffic, according to Aena data.
The Moroccan state-owned airline, with 98% of its capital owned by the Moroccan government, has also halted flights between Tangier and Malaga, which served 43,256 travelers in the first four months of the year. However, it continues to operate flights to and from Barajas Airport, which saw 58,721 passengers during the same timeframe.
In total, Royal Air Maroc has suspended twelve routes connecting Europe and Africa due to the soaring costs of aviation fuel. In a statement released by the Moroccan official news agency MAP, the airline explained that it was compelled to “take measures to adapt its international network” in response to the “substantial increase in kerosene prices, a direct consequence of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.” The airline also noted a decline in demand for certain routes, which, combined with the rising fuel costs, rendered them unprofitable.
Alongside the suspensions of flights to Barcelona and Malaga, the affected routes include connections from Marrakech to Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Brussels, as well as flights between Casablanca and various African airports such as Bangui, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Douala, Yaoundé, and Libreville.
Royal Air Maroc has stated that it is closely monitoring the international situation and is committed to gradually reinstating these routes as soon as operational and economic conditions allow. This decision aligns with the actions of numerous airlines that have scaled back low-demand connections at a time when costs have surged. Major airlines, such as Lufthansa, have canceled thousands of short-haul flights across some of their subsidiaries.
Moreover, several companies, including Ryanair, have reported a slowdown in demand for flights and are attempting to stimulate it through price adjustments on some sensitive routes. However, they have dismissed the possibility of a price war this summer, primarily because airlines cannot afford it and due to a significant reduction in global capacity caused by operational cutbacks and impacts on major air hubs in the Persian Gulf, which serve as vital links between the Far East and the West.
As reported by lavanguardia.com.
