From its home base at Gran Canaria Airport (LPA), Binter Canarias mainly operates to destinations in Western Europe and the Canary Islands. The airline also flies to Morocco as well as a city that lies within disputed territory, Laâyoune. It's service to this last city, located in Western Sahara that caused some controversy earlier this month.

"The scheduling of flights to Western Sahara implies an illegal business that affects a territory illegally occupied by Morocco , a State that lacks jurisdiction over the territory in the process of decolonization ” -Delegation of the Polisario Front for Spain

Laâyoune service labeled "illegal activity"

A nationalist group known as the Polisario has recently voiced their opposition to Binter Canarias resuming flights between Gran Canaria and Laâyoune. The Polisario's main goal has been the independence of Western Sahara- a territory that remains disputed and currently sits under the administration of Morocco.

According to Le Desk, a Polisario representative in Spain sent a letter to the head of Binter Canarias, threatening the airline with legal action. This letter, penned by Spain's Polisario representative, Abdullah Arabi, is demanding that flights to Western Sahara cease. He warns that failure to stop this "illegal activity" will result in legal action.

Arabi emphasizes that Western Sahara has been designated by the United Nations a “non-autonomous territory.” With this designation, a 2018 judgment from the EU Court of Justice ruled that consent of the people of the Sahara (the Saharawi) is required.

"This business contributes to the objective of Morocco to legitimize the illegal occupation." -Delegation of the Polisario Front for Spain

Not exactly a new fight

Le Desk highlights that the Polisario has been fighting this air service constantly since 2018. Indeed, the renewed condemnation of the Binter Canarias operation was only sparked because of post-COVID service resumption.

In a 2018 battle, the Polisario highlighted the issue of airspace sovereignty- accusing the EU and the Spanish government of violating airspace. It was ruled, however, that the EU court order of November 30th, 2018, did not apply to Western Sahara.

On a smaller scale, the Polisario's goal has been to disrupt air service to the Western Saharan destinations of Laâyoune and Dakhla, with Le Desk noting that these areas have experienced upticks in tourist activity over the past few years, especially surrounding water sport activity.

At the moment, Binter Canarias operates a three-times-weekly service to Laâyoune from Gran Canarias using its ATR72s. These turboprops seat 70 passengers in a single-class configuration.

Another airline that has been targeted is Transavia, which had launched a Paris-Dakhla service with the support of the Moroccan government.

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Unlikely to change?

Unfortunately for the Polisario, its accusation that Binter Canarias' flight to Laâyoune is illegal will likely be ignored. Indeed, if previous recent challenges failed to change the situation, it's difficult to see why things would be any different three years later.

What do you think about this situation? Will this group's condemnation change how Binter Canarias operates? Let us know by leaving a comment.