Royal Air Maroc Seeks Government Bailout Amid Mounting Debt and COVID-19 Crisis

Already facing an internal crisis due to the lack of communication from management on its crisis management and the future with its majority union, the national airline is fighting to rise from the ashes. According to a source close to the government, President Abdelhamid Addou is multiplying meetings and letters with his supervisory authority; but the State has priorities. Moreover, as long as there is no official communication from RAM’s shareholders (majority state), he cannot speak out.

When questioned about this lack of communication, top management attributes it to the ongoing negotiations with the State to obtain financial support to relaunch the company’s activities. It has invited the social partners to wait for the end of the negotiations with the State before speaking out.

Despite this crisis, RAM reassures its staff that salaries will be paid in April, denying certain rumors suggesting that RAM no longer has enough liquidity to ensure the payment of salaries to its 3,400 employees.

While for the time being, RAM is waiting much more for the financial support of the government than that of the banks, its president refuses to comment on the amount, hinting that this information will rather depend on the duration of the crisis.