Israir Suspends Marrakech Flights After Just Six Weeks Back in Morocco
Six weeks after resuming flights to Marrakech, Israir says it will suspend them. The Israeli airline is also stopping ticket sales and shelving, for now, its plans to expand its service to Morocco. Its last flight is scheduled for October 20.
The return was short-lived. Israir, which relaunched its Tel Aviv–Marrakech route on September 1 after nearly three years away, is already reversing course. The airline announced on Tuesday, October 13, that it was stopping ticket sales and would soon suspend its flights. According to Israeli business daily Calcalist, the last flight is expected to operate on October 20.
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The reversal comes as the airline was preparing to do precisely the opposite. Israir had planned to increase its Marrakech service to three flights a week starting in November. It was also in negotiations to lease an additional aircraft. All plans are now on hold, even as the airline was also considering launching a direct route to Casablanca.
The problem does not stem from the Moroccan authorities, but from Israel. New security requirements imposed on airlines are complicating Israir’s operations. The airline makes extensive use of aircraft leased from foreign carriers, along with their crews. This system makes it possible to increase capacity quickly, but questions have now arisen over the checks required for these aircraft and their personnel.
An aviation incident upends plans for Marrakech
The new restrictions stem from the attack on September 30 aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, from Dubai to Tel Aviv. An Omani co-pilot attacked the captain with a hatchet and tried to force the aircraft to the ground. The intervention of the crew and passengers averted disaster. The plane eventually made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Since the incident, Israeli authorities have tightened requirements for foreign aircraft and crews. Israir is now awaiting details of the new procedures and the necessary authorizations before resuming ticket sales.
“Following the incident on a Flydubai flight and the new security directives that followed, Israir has decided to freeze its plans to expand service to Marrakech for the time being,” the airline said in a statement reported by The Times of Israel.
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The suspension comes as several Israeli airlines were preparing to expand their services to Morocco. Arkia was the first to resume flights this summer, followed by Israir in September. The airlines were counting in particular on Israeli customers of Moroccan origin and travel planned for the year-end holidays.
Israir has not announced a resumption date. The airline says it will follow the final instructions issued by the relevant authorities, prioritizing the safety of passengers and crews. Plans to increase the frequency of flights to Marrakech and lease an additional aircraft remain on hold.
