Ryanair shakes up the Moroccan sky and aims for the top spot

Ryanair is settling in Morocco. It is active in the opening of a new base in Tangier with two aircraft, the creation of 60 new jobs and the opening of 35 routes - 11 domestic and 24 international - this summer for an investment of 1.3 billion euros, reports Eleconomista.es. This flight program of the company is part of its ambitious growth plan aiming to exceed 300 million passengers in 2035. "This year, we will open our first eleven domestic routes and fly to Morocco from 17 European countries, as it has joined the EU Open Sky. We will be the largest airline and surpass Royal Air Maroc," said Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary at a press conference in January.

Among the 24 new international routes are two from Barcelona to Beni Mellal and Tangier, a connection between Zaragoza and Fez; a Murcia-Marrakech flight and two connections to the Canary Islands taking advantage of the proximity of the archipelago, one to Lanzarote and another to Tenerife Sur. Ryanair’s decision is also part of the positioning of airlines aiming to try to capture the large market of travelers who will go to Morocco to attend the 2030 World Cup matches, which will be co-hosted with Spain and Portugal. "Ryanair supports the development of tourism infrastructure in Morocco in preparation for the World Cup and will encourage the Atlas Lions. Together, we will continue to develop infrastructure, connectivity and tourism in Morocco," said Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair, in a statement.

In total, 14 Ryanair aircraft will be based in Morocco: 7 in Marrakech, 3 in Fez, 2 in Agadir and 2 in Tangier. The company aims to transport up to 5 million domestic and international passengers, representing a 33% growth compared to its fiscal year 2023. To realize this ambition in high season, it will have more than 1,100 flights per week on 175 different routes arriving or departing from 12 Moroccan cities including Casablanca, Rabat or Marrakech.

To read: Ryanair Expands Morocco Routes: New Carcassonne-Tangier Flights for Summer 2024

Last December, the Moroccan government gave the green light to Ryanair to operate domestic flights in the country starting next summer. The Irish low-cost airline will become the third airline to operate flights in Morocco, after the Moroccan company RAM and the Emirati company Air Arabia. Morocco is the fourth country outside Europe to receive the most European flights. A level it has reached after joining the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).