Rising Oil Prices May Force Royal Air Maroc to Increase Airfares

"Like all airlines, this is an issue that concerns us, and that we are following closely. In recent days, the increase in the price of a barrel has been strong and rapid. This is not a normal situation, we hope that the market will correct itself. And that this issue will not become the grain of sand that comes to disrupt the recovery. [...] If unfortunately the situation persists, we will probably have to raise prices. For the moment, this is not the case, because the desire to travel is so strong that it allows us to offset this price spike. This is what makes us remain optimistic," said Ilham Kazzini in an interview with L’Écho touristique. Admitting that aviation has never been a smooth ride, she assures that the Moroccan airline company is preparing to be able to anticipate any kind of crisis.

The reopening of Moroccan airspace benefits Royal Air Maroc (RAM). "We are very satisfied, because the markets have responded strongly, rejoices the director of the commercial division of the company. Obviously, not all have reacted as vigorously, but the French market, for its part, has responded very positively. Since the reopening, we have almost regained the booking levels we were seeing at the same period in 2019. The recovery exceeds our expectations. We thought that after such a long absence, the market would have adopted other reflexes."

Last-minute bookings continue to multiply. "What is really striking," notes the manager, "is the still strong place of last-minute bookings. Our customers buy, on average, 10 days before departure. This is still a very short lead time. However, we note that it tends to lengthen. Our booking rates for the Easter holidays or the month of June, for example, are progressing by leaps and bounds." According to her, this shows that the market is projecting itself again several months in advance. This helps to dispel fears related to the health situation and possible border closures. "We have the feeling that, in the minds of customers, the page is turning," she is convinced.