On Wednesday, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) resumed its direct flights between Rabat and Laâyoune, offering two weekly services on Wednesdays and Fridays. This renewed route marks a significant enhancement in connectivity for travelers between these two cities.
After a swift one hour and fifty-minute journey, the RAM aircraft touched down at Hassan I Airport in Laâyoune with 96 passengers on board. Shortly after, the plane began boarding passengers for the return trip to Rabat.
Flights from Rabat Salé Airport are scheduled to depart at 1:15 PM, arriving in Laâyoune at 3:10 PM. The return flights will leave Laâyoune at 4:00 PM, landing in Rabat at 5:50 PM.
A special ceremony celebrated this occasion, attended by notable figures such as Larbi Lamaghari, Secretary General of the regional wilaya, Hassan Abou Dahab, Laâyoune’s Police Chief, alongside elected officials and local authorities.
Interim commander of Hassan I Airport, Salma Alaya, expressed his delight over the relaunch of this route. He emphasized that this new service aims to bolster the airport’s offerings, which have shown significant growth in national air traffic over the past few years.
Alaya highlighted a 23% increase in passenger traffic at Hassan I Airport during the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. He noted that the airport now connects to an international destination, Las Palmas, and maintains domestic flights to Agadir, Casablanca, and Dakhla.
Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid, President of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra Regional Council, commented on the importance of this flight in enhancing the attractiveness of the region. He noted that the resumption aligns with a renewed partnership agreement between RAM, the Regional Council, the Tourism Department, the Agency for the Promotion and Economic Development of the Southern Provinces (APDS), and the OCP Group.
Ould Errachid added that this route meets the growing demand from passengers and mentioned plans for additional domestic flights to Marrakech and Fès, as well as a new international route.
Passengers on this inaugural flight expressed their joy at the convenience of direct travel between Rabat and Laâyoune, praising the smooth journey.
In May alone, Hassan I Airport saw a 6% increase in air traffic, with 24,641 passengers compared to 23,286 during the same month last year. This growth underscores the increasing demand and importance of enhanced air connectivity in the region.
