Morocco Begins Repatriation of 32,000 Citizens Stranded Abroad Amid Pandemic

Three 737-800 aircraft from Royal Air Maroc took off on Saturday from Casablanca airport bound for Algiers. In total, 300 Moroccans stranded in Algeria due to the closure of borders are expected to return to the country, specifically to Oujda. Upon arrival, they will be quarantined for 9 days in the hotels of the seaside resort of Saidia.

After Algiers, it will be the turn of Spain, Turkey and other countries where Moroccans have been stranded for more than two months. The 737-800 and Dreamliner aircraft of Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will operate the flights, depending on the destinations and the number of Moroccans to be repatriated.

However, several questions remain unanswered. What about the financial cost of these repatriation operations? Will the government cover all the transportation and logistics costs?