Royal Air Maroc Leases Two Boeing 737-8 MAX Jets to Expand Fleet

"We are pleased to announce that Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has signed an agreement with Royal Air Maroc for the lease of two Boeing 737-8 MAX. The first aircraft has been delivered, the second will follow shortly after," informs the Dubai-based company, adding that "this agreement marks the beginning of a new partnership between DAE and Royal Air Maroc and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to support the world’s largest airlines by providing them with modern and fuel-efficient aircraft. The entire process, from contract signing to delivery of the first aircraft, was completed in remarkably short timeframes, demonstrating the efficiency of our teams and the strength of our newly established partnership."

DAE Ltd consists of two divisions: DAE Capital and DAE Engineering. The first handles aircraft leasing. It owns a fleet of about 750 Airbus, ATR, Embraer and Boeing aircraft, valued at $22 billion. The second provides regional MRO services to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia from its site in Amman, Jordan, which can accommodate up to 17 wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. In total, the Dubai-based company specializes in aircraft operating leases, aircraft sale and leaseback, aircraft sales, aircraft purchases, aircraft financing and PDP (pre-delivery payment) financing, aircraft fleet management, MRO services as well as base maintenance.

As a reminder, Air Lease Corporation (ALC) had announced in August 2023 the signing of long-term lease contracts with RAM for five Boeing 737s, including four new Boeing 737-8s and one Boeing 737-800. "We look forward to strengthening our long-term relationship with RAM," said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of ALC. "Through this agreement with renowned partners like ALC, Royal Air Maroc will receive additional aircraft that will strengthen and modernize our operational fleet, allowing us to constantly improve the quality of service for our customers, while reducing our carbon footprint in line with our environmental commitment," said Abdelhamid Addou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc.

RAM wants to quadruple its fleet and cover 100 new international destinations. As part of the program contract signed in 2023 with the State, it aims to transport 21 million tourists per year to Morocco, from 69 countries around the world by 2037. The company also plans to connect 12 regions of the kingdom with 46 routes and 173 frequencies. "One of the key elements of the success of Royal Air Maroc’s new growth phase is its brand image. The new dynamic expressed in our rebranding strategy carries our ambitions as a reference company on a continental scale, proudly expressing our Moroccan and African identity. It is part of our Kingdom’s global vision for Africa, promoting South-South cooperation and accelerating our common development, both politically and economically, societally, culturally and technologically," stated Abdelhamid Addou.