Air France has announced its plan to launch a new seasonal service between Nice and Marrakech this summer. This new service will be the airline’s second connection to the Moroccan city, which has seen an increase in traffic in January 2023. The new service will operate from July 7 to August 25, 2023, offering up to two flights per week between Nice-Côte d’Azur and Marrakech-Menara airport.
The flights will be operated by Airbus A320 with 174 or 178 seats in two classes, Business and Economy. Departures are scheduled on Mondays and Fridays at 7:10 a.m. to arrive at 9:20 a.m., with return flights leaving Morocco at 10:20 a.m. to land at 2:20 p.m. Air France will be in competition with easyJet on this line, which will be added to that departing from Paris-CDG.
Moroccan Air Traffic Shows Positive Growth in 2023
According to Office National des Aéroports (ONDA), Marrakech airport recorded a 13% increase in traffic in January 2023 compared to January 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. This traffic was also higher in other Moroccan cities like Agadir, Nador, Oujda, and Tangier, with increases ranging from 13% to 41%. However, traffic in Casablanca, Dakhla, Ouarzazate, and Al Hoceima has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.
For the entire country of Morocco, 1,981,294 passengers were recorded in January 2023, which is a 6% increase from 2019 levels. Domestic traffic recorded during this period was 91% of January 2019, while international traffic showed 8% growth compared to the same month in 2019. The European market, which represents more than 83% of international traffic, and the North American market both recorded positive growth rates, respectively 13% and 32%. Meanwhile, Africa, the Middle and Far East, and the Maghreb countries recorded recovery rates compared to January 2019, ranging from 56% to 98%.
With the end of health measures on March 1, including the removal of the obligation to present a health form on arrival in Morocco, and the non-renewal of the state of emergency in place for three years, it is expected that air traffic in Morocco will experience even more significant growth in the coming months.
