Morocco Adopts EU-Style Air Passenger Rights for Flight Delays and Cancellations

During a meeting dedicated to the annual evaluation of public policies in the tourism sector, Mohamed Abdeljalil, Minister of Transport and Logistics, announced the establishment of a new regulation aimed at protecting the rights of air passengers in the event of flight delays or cancellations and that the text will be submitted to the General Secretariat of the Government. Initially prepared by his predecessor, this regulation had not been applied due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he explained.

This regulation is part of Law No. 40.13 relating to the Civil Aviation Code, adopted by Parliament in 2016, informs L’Observateur du Maroc. It is a question of aligning the rights of Moroccan passengers with European standards, by guaranteeing adequate compensation in the event of flight disruptions. A series of compensations for passengers depending on the duration of the delay or cancellation of the flight is therefore recorded in the text. As an illustration, Moroccan passengers will benefit from free consumption in the event of a two-hour delay and compensation up to 600 euros or a replacement ticket in the event of a three-hour delay. The magazine also mentions measures including specific conditions regarding overbooking. Even if it is allowed, this could undermine the reputation of airlines.

It should be noted that the regulation respects the provisions of the Montreal Convention, in force since November 2003, which covers various incidents, such as delays, lost baggage, and injuries or deaths of passengers, with compensation up to 113,100 special drawing rights (SDRs).