Morocco Extends Air Travel Ban as Border Reopening Date Remains Uncertain

While social networks are announcing a possible resumption of air activity for June 10, the date of the lifting of the state of health emergency in Morocco, the National Airports Office (ONDA) remains silent on the subject. It does not indicate any date for the resumption of domestic or international flights.

A source from the Office, contacted by Aujourd’hui le Maroc, specifies that there will be no possible resumption without the opening of air borders. However, the Office is already taking all the necessary steps for a proper resumption of air activity, in compliance with the health measures against the coronavirus, it is indicated.

According to the same source, the Covid-19 crisis has severely affected air activity due to the suspension of flights and the closure of borders. The adverse effects of this crisis, from an economic point of view, are enormous. As for ONDA, the situation is not very bright.

In the first quarter of 2020, its indicators are in the red: drop in airport revenues and those of non-aeronautical activities in the various airports, 9.5% drop in turnover compared to the same period last year, from 1.01 billion dirhams to 916 million dirhams at the end of March 2020. An underperformance, according to the Office, which would be mainly due to "a sharp drop in overflight fees and airport fees, respectively 15% and 8%".

Furthermore, the Office informs that it invested, during this first quarter of 2020, 283 million dirhams for the realization of various projects related to the redevelopment and extension of the Nador airport terminal, the installation of a radar station to ensure the approach control of the Fez airport and the construction of a new domestic module at the Mohammed V airport.

As for the level of ONDA’s debt, it is slightly down. It stood at 4.77 billion dirhams, down 10 million dirhams compared to the end of December 2019, the same source specifies.