Oneworld announced in New York that the Royal Air Maroc will be the group’s 14th member from mid 2020. The Moroccan airline is now the largest non-aligned carrier in Africa with a fleet of 55 aircraft that carried 7.3 million passengers in 2017.
The company is expected to add 34 destinations in 21 countries to the alliance that will make Oneworld reach 1,069 airports in 178 countries.
“Royal Air Maroc is growing into a truly global airline, with its home base Casablanca to be developed into Africa’s leading aviation gateway while also consolidating its place as Africa’s number one financial centre,” said Rob Gurney, Oneworld CEO.
“Royal Air Maroc is excited and honored to have been invited to become oneworld’s wings of Africa. We look forward to completing our flight on board speedily and smoothly so that we can offer the services and benefits of the world’s best airline alliance to our customers and across our own network as soon as possible,” added Abdelhamid Addou, Royal Air Maroc CEO.
New fleet
Royal Air Maroc has embarked on an ambitious five-year expansion plan that is expected to boost its fleet of airplanes to carry 13 million passengers a year. One of the focus of the program is the modernization of its long-range aircraft. The airline, which has already operated planes such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A330, now focuses on the new Boeing 787.
Four Boeing 787-9 units are scheduled to enter service in the coming months, already displaying the new color scheme of the African airline.
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