Polisario Seeks to Block Ryanair Flights Between Madrid and Dakhla
The Polisario Front has announced legal action in Spain against the authorizations granted for Ryanair flights to Dakhla. Its aim is to force Madrid to withdraw the airline’s permissions. Ryanair is still selling tickets on the Madrid–Dakhla route, while its Lanzarote service has disappeared from its schedule.
On Monday, October 26, in Madrid, Polisario representatives announced legal action targeting Ryanair flights to Dakhla. They are asking the Spanish government to withdraw the authorizations granted to the Irish airline.
On Bladi.net : Ryanair’s Dakhla Ads Face Pressure in Ireland Over Morocco Claim
At the presentation of the report “Tourism Under Occupation,” adviser Oubi Bouchraya Bachir spoke alongside lawyers Jacinto Lara and Eshaba Messaoud. The Polisario statement refers to legal action before Spanish courts. Earlier in the day, Público reported that the legal team was also considering taking the case to European courts.
According to them, the arguments are based on the disputed status of Western Sahara. Morocco considers Dakhla a city in its Southern Provinces and advocates autonomy for the territory under its sovereignty. The Polisario claims its independence.
A legal challenge, while flights remain on sale
As regards air travel, a January 2025 response from the European Commission notes that the air transport agreement between the Union and Morocco does not apply to routes connecting a member state with Western Sahara. This is one of the points on which the movement bases its initiative.
The case now mainly concerns the Madrid–Dakhla route, which Ryanair is still offering. The airline is showing, among other options, a departure for Tuesday, October 27. The Lanzarote–Dakhla route, also targeted in the statements, no longer appears in its schedules: it was discontinued in 2025.
The dispute thus extends beyond advertising. On October 16, Bladi.net had already reported a challenge in Ireland over Ryanair ads describing Dakhla as Moroccan. In Spain, the issue is now the right to operate the route.
For winter 2026–2027, Ryanair is still offering Madrid–Dakhla tickets for November, December and January. The airline is therefore continuing to sell the route while the Polisario seeks to have the Spanish authorizations withdrawn.
