Ryanair Considers Exit from Morocco Amid Border Closure and Regulatory Tensions

Ryanair would have decided to withdraw from the Moroccan market from next May, reports Maghreb Intelligence. At the origin of this decision, a lack of visibility on the reopening of borders, "tensions" between the top management and the Moroccan authorities since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. This first European airline, operating thousands of annual flights to Morocco, had in fact announced in early December 2021 the suspension of its flights to the kingdom until February 1 due to a "lack of clarity" from the Moroccan government. It had also specified that the cancellations had already affected 160,000 customers and that the suspension of flights would affect 230,000 passengers until February.

Due to the rapid spread of the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, particularly in Europe and Africa, the Moroccan authorities had decided on November 29 to suspend flights until December 31, before extending this suspension until January 31, 2022. A suspension that has a negative impact on tourism.