Ryanair Sets Sights on Moroccan Domestic Market

In an unprecedented move, Ryanair is in the stages of exploring the possibility of establishing a new airline based in Africa, specifically in Morocco for domestic flights. The attractive incentives provided by Moroccan authorities, along with the organization of prominent events in the country’s major cities, are enticing foreign airlines to expand their operations in the domestic market.

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Government sources and a Ryanair official informed Bloomberg Asharq that the Irish airline intends to operate domestic flights for the first time in Morocco starting in 2024, after submitting an official application to the relevant regulatory authorities.

Diversification of the Domestic Market Ahead of the 2030 World Cup

The Moroccan domestic market, so far primarily dominated by Royal Air Maroc and the low-cost airline Air Arabia Maroc, is undergoing a significant shift. Between January and October 2023, only 2 million passengers traveled domestically, representing just 9.8% of the entire air market, in contrast with the 21 million travelers mobilized internationally.

Ryanair’s application, being the first from a European airline, has been forwarded by the prime minister to the Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. A final decision is expected in the coming months, which could mark a significant change in the Moroccan domestic market landscape. The low-cost airline plans to start operations in March 2024.

Ryanair began operations in Morocco in 2006, focusing on international flights from and to Agadir (AGA), Essaouira (ESU), Fez (FEZ), Marrakech (RAK), Nador (NDR), Ouarzazate (OZZ), Oujda (OUD), Rabat (RBA), Tangier (TNG), and Tetuán (TTU).

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Last October, it announced the launch of the most significant flight program for the winter of 2023-2024 to Morocco, expecting to reach 840 weekly flights, a 20% increase compared to 2022, covering 126 routes.

According to the Cirium platform, with data from January 2024, Ryanair is the second most important airline in Morocco in terms of seat offer, with 16.4% of the market share.