Royal Air Maroc is the
flag carrierA flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of
MoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, headquartered on the grounds of
Casablanca-Anfa AirportCasablanca-Anfa Airport is an airport in Morocco , located about southwest of Casablanca. Anfa Airport is one of two airports serving the Casablanca area, the other being the newer and larger Mohammed V International Airport. Anfa Airport, restricted by the urban growth around it, primarily serves...
in
CasablancaCasablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. It operates scheduled international flights from Morocco to Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America and a
domestic flightA domestic flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the departure and the arrival take place in the same country....
and charter flight network, (including
HajjThe Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
flights). Its base is
Mohammed V International AirportMohammed V International Airport is an airport operated by ONDA . Located in Province of Nouaceur, a suburb 30 km south-east of Casablanca, it is the busiest airport in Morocco with almost 7.25 million passengers passing through the airport in 2010...
(CMN), Casablanca.
As of November 2009 Royal Air Maroc merged
Atlas BlueAtlas Blue was a low-cost airline with its head office on the grounds of Marrakech-Menara Airport in Marrakech, Morocco, operating out of Menara International Airport....
's website with RAM's, and all the fleet of Atlas Blue that was painted in "Royal Air Maroc Operated by Atlas Blue" is going to carry the name of Royal Air Maroc only. However all Atlas Blue flights will operate under the IATA code 8A.
First days
The company was founded in 1953 as Compagnie Cherifienne des Transports Aériens (CCTA). Junkers Ju-52 tri-engine aircraft started local services but these aircraft were soon replaced by
DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s and
Lockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
s. The name Royal Air Maroc was adopted after independence and the company began flying international routes in 1957 from its main base in Casablanca.
The jet age
In 1960 RAM introduced its first jets:
Sud Aviation SE-210 CaravellesThe Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
. These flew to European routes such as Paris and Madrid until the mid 1970s when they were phased out in favor of Boeing 727s. Simultaneously,
Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
s were being introduced for longer or higher capacity routes and Original Series 737s for smaller routes. By the end of the 1970s, Royal Air Maroc was flying to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and finally North Africa.
The 1980s
RAM continued to expand in the 1980s. New routes were opened and routes expanded, frequencies were increased and new aircraft were introduced.
Boeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s were purchased in 1986 and eventually replaced the oldest 727s. The expansion of Casablanca Mohammed V airport in 1984 provided the company with a more modern base.
The 1990s
In the early days of the decade, the last of the 707s was removed from the fleet. Meanwhile, newer, more efficient, Classic 400 and 500 Series Boeing 737s were introduced to increase the frequency of European routes. By the middle of the decade all 727s had disappeared. To consolidate its North American operations, Royal Air Maroc purchased a single 747-400. As the decade progressed, new routes to previously under-served African airports were opened.
2000-present
With the increasing number of passengers and newly opened routes as well as increasing oil prices, there was a need to buy new aircraft. In 2000 an order for 20 Next Generation Boeing 737 aircraft and 4
Airbus A321The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
s was placed. Meanwhile more routes to west and central African cities were opened.
RAM was now changing, from providing flights to meet the demands of foreign tourists and Moroccan expatriates, to providing connections between European cities and African cities via the Casablanca hub. In 2002, the company leased two 767s to replace the single 747 in North American routes and in 2004, the low-cost subsidiary, Atlas Blue, was set up with its main base in Marrakesh. Six Boeing 737-400s were transferred to it with the aim of providing tourists with a direct route to Moroccan resort towns. In 2005, the company ordered four Boeing 787s to replace the leased 767s and expand North American, Middle Eastern, and African routes. It was announced in May 2008 that RAM had transported a record-breaking 6.33 million passengers in the previous fiscal year, the year 2007
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box2/ram_group_activities/view. However, the airline has had difficulties coping with its rapid expansion and has acquired a reputation for delays and missed connections at its Casablanca hub.
Royal Air Maroc has the largest fleet of 737s in Africa (42), and is expected to be the first airline in Africa to operate the Boeing 787.
On 26 September 2010,
Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
, the national airline of the
United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, has announced it will extend its existing codeshare agreement with RAM, providing customers with access to more destinations in Morocco and
West AfricaWest Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
The future
In late 2006 an
Open SkiesOpen skies is an international policy concept which calls for the liberalization of rules and regulations on international aviation industry most specially commercial aviation - opening a free market for the airline industry...
agreement was signed between Morocco and the EU. This means that Royal Air Maroc will have to face tough competition from low cost carriers eager to exploit profitable routes between Western Europe and Morocco. A further challenge arises from the high cost of kerosene and the fact that the company may have to drop some of its unprofitable domestic and international routes. The construction of a third terminal and runway began at Mohammed V airport in late 2005.
During the 4th Annual Moroccan American Coalition Convention that took place on October 10 and 11 2009 in Washington, Mr. Amine El Farissi, the U.S. General Manager of Royal Air Maroc, confrimed the start of the Casablanca-Washington direct flight. royal air maroc is expected to be the first airline to operate the boeing 787 in Africa with an order of 5 a/c.
The airline faces serious challenges with its customer service and overall reputation with a Skytrax 2 star ranking, which is given only to very poorly performing airlines (www.airlinequality.com)
Stakes and ownership
The airline is owned 95.95% by the Moroccan government, 2.86% by
Air FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
and 0.95% by
International Airlines GroupInternational Airlines Group is a multinational airline holding company headquartered in London, United Kingdom and with its registered office in Madrid, Spain...
. The government intends to partially privatise the airline through the sale of a 25% holding. Royal Air Maroc has 5,719 employees. Royal Air Maroc has a 99% holding in Atlas Blue and 51% in
Air Senegal InternationalAir Sénégal International was an airline with its head office in Dakar, Senegal. It was a regional carrier operating a scheduled domestic network and regional flights to neighbouring countries. It also operated charter and air taxi flights...
, see below.
The subsidiaries of
The Group Royal Air Maroc are:
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Air Maroc Express
Royal Air Maroc Express is a private airline based in Casablanca, Morocco. It operates scheduled domestic services and scheduled regional flights to Spain and Portugal, as well as charter services for tour operators and corporate clients. Its main base is Mohammed V International Airport.- History...
- RAM Cargo
Royal Air Maroc Cargo operating as RAM Cargo, is an air freight Cargo carrier company that was officially named on January 2010. RAM Cargo is an 100% subsidiary of Royal Air Maroc.-Destinations:RAM Cargo serve the following at September 2011:...
- Atlas Aérotechnic Industries
- Atlas Hospitality (Hotels)
- Atlas Catering Airlines Services
- RAM Academy
Future
Confirmed new destinations
New RAM Destinations
| Route | Equipment | Commencing | Vía |
LuandaLuanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
|
B737-800 |
1 December 2011 |
Libreville Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport is an airportsituated in Libreville, Gabon. It is the main international airport in the country.Named after the first president of Gabon, Léon M'ba, it was the hub of former national airline Air Gabon until March 2006.-Airlines and destinations:-Cargo...
|
BissauBissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos...
, Guinea-BissauThe Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
|
B737-700 |
13 December 2011 |
Conakry Conakry International Airport , also known as Gbessia International Airport, is an airport located in Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea in West Africa. It is divided into domestic and international terminals...
|
ViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
|
B737-800 |
TBC |
nonstop |
| São Paulo São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
|
B787-8 |
TBC |
nonstop |
CopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
|
B737-700 |
TBC |
nonstop |
| Washington DC, USA |
B787-8 |
TBC |
nonstop |
DubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, UAE |
B767-300 |
TBC |
nonstop |
Planned destinations
Services to several new destinations are being considered by the Royal Air Maroc board, these include: Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Beijing, Dubai, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo.
Base
RAM has its base at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) near Casablanca. The company operates short- , medium- and long-haul flights:
- Short-haul flights are mainly national connections between the Moroccan
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
airports and some flights to other North-African countries.
- Medium-haul flights are operated between several Moroccan airports and destinations in Europe, Central Africa and the Middle-East.
- Long-haul flights are the cross-Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
flights to Canada and the United States and from December to the Southwest African City LuandaLuanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
Codeshare agreements
Royal Air Maroc has codeshare agreements with the following airlines (as of June 2011):
- Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines is a flag carrier airline headquartered in the b.house on the grounds of Brussels Airport and in Diegem, Machelen, Belgium and a subsidiary of Lufthansa. It is the largest airline based in Belgium, operating to over 65 destinations in 20 European countries as well as long-haul...
- Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
- Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
|
Iberia Airlines Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
Turkish AirlinesTurkish Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, headquartered in the Turkish Airlines General Management Building on the grounds of Atatürk Airport in Yeşilköy, Bakirköy district, Istanbul...
|
Fleet
As of January 2011, the Royal Air Maroc fleet consists of the following aircraft:
Royal Air Maroc fleet
| Aircraft |
In Service |
Orders
(Options) |
Passengers |
Notes |
| C |
Y |
Total |
| Airbus 321-200 |
4 |
— |
38 |
150 |
188 |
Two based in RAK |
Boeing 737-400The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
|
5 |
— |
14 |
132 |
147 |
To be phased out in 2013
Replacement : Boeing 737-800 |
Boeing 737-500The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
|
6 |
— |
18 |
94 |
112 |
To be phased out in 2013
Replacement : Boeing 737-800 |
| Boeing 737-700 |
6 |
— |
26 |
90 |
126 |
All fitted with winglets
Two airplanes will based in TNG |
| Boeing 737-800 |
25 |
2 |
28 |
132 |
162 |
21 fitted with winglets
Largest operator of B738 in Africa |
| Boeing 737-BBJ2 |
1 |
— |
VIP |
operated for Royal Moroccan Air ForceThe Royal Moroccan Air Force is the air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces.-History:...
|
| Boeing 747-400 The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
|
1 |
— |
72 |
280 |
352 |
To be phased out in 2012
Replacement : Boeing 787-8 |
Boeing 767-300ERThe Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
|
3 |
— |
48 |
204 |
252 |
to be equipped with AVOD entertainment Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
Operated to Algiers' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, DakarDakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Paris-Orly |
| 2 |
43 |
138 |
181 |
These two aircrafts fly only to New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and JeddahJeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
|
| Boeing 787-8 |
— |
6 |
TBA |
Deliveries in 2012 |
Royal Air Maroc ExpressRoyal Air Maroc Express is a private airline based in Casablanca, Morocco. It operates scheduled domestic services and scheduled regional flights to Spain and Portugal, as well as charter services for tour operators and corporate clients. Its main base is Mohammed V International Airport.- History...
fleet |
| ATR 42-600 |
2 |
- |
8 |
40 |
48 |
|
| ATR 72-200 |
4 |
— |
0 |
74 |
74 |
Regional Routes: LisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Valencia, MalagaMálaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
and Domestic Flights |
| ATR 72-600 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
78 |
78 |
First Operator of this Type |
| Royal Air Maroc Cargo Royal Air Maroc Cargo operating as RAM Cargo, is an air freight Cargo carrier company that was officially named on January 2010. RAM Cargo is an 100% subsidiary of Royal Air Maroc.-Destinations:RAM Cargo serve the following at September 2011:...
fleet |
| Boeing 737-300F |
1 |
— |
Cargo |
| Total |
60 |
11 |
Head office
Royal Air Maroc has its head office on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca. In 2004 the airline announced that it would move its head office from Casablanca to the
Province of NouaceurNouaceur is a province in the Moroccan region of Grand Casablanca. Its population in 2004 is 236,119. Its major town is Bouskoura, although the administrative centre is Nouaceur....
, near Mohammed V International Airport. MAP, the official state news agency, said that the construction of the headquarters and a 500 room conference hotel would take 1 year and 6 months. The agreement to build the head office in Nouaceur was signed in 2009.
Incidents and accidents
Major incidents involving fatalities and/or loss of airplane are:
- 14 November 1958: A Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
was damaged during landing at TangierTangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
airport. No injuries were reported but the fuselage was damaged beyond repair.
- 1 April 1970: a Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
crashed on approach to Casablanca Mohammad V airport when it lost control at a height of about 500 feet. Sixty one of the 82 passengers and crew were killed.
- 21 August 1994: an ATR 42-300 operating Flight 630
Royal Air Maroc Flight 630 was a passenger flight on 21 August 1994 which crashed approximately ten minutes after takeoff from Agadir – Al Massira Airport. All 44 passengers and crew on board were killed. At the time it was the worst incident ever involving an ATR 42 aircraft-Flight:Flight 630 was...
, the domestic Agadir-Casablanca route lost control at 16000 feet, entered a steep dive, and crashed into nearby mountains. Investigators suspect that the pilot deliberately disengaged the autopilot and directed the aircraft into the ground. All of the 44 passengers and crew members were killed.
- 20 April 2009: a Boeing 767-300 operating as Flight 200 (registration CN-RNT) from Casablanca encountered wake turbulence during approach into John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York. This resulted in the aircraft making a very hard landing, and further inspections on the ground revealed cracks and wrinkles on the fuselage. Rendered unflyable, RAM brought in Boeing and Delta engineers to repair the aircraft on site at JFK.
- 6 June 2010, a Boeing 737-400 of Royal Air Maroc struck several birds at Schiphol Airport. One of the engines was badly damaged and the plane had to return to the airport. Some witnesses stated the engine was burning. There were no injuries.
External links