On Thursday, January 28th, the government of Morocco announced that it would allow the resumption of commercial flights to and from Morocco effective February 7th. The news comes after two full months of border closures enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. Up until this point, carriers like Royal Air Maroc were only allowed to operate flights under exceptional circumstances.

Flight ban will end in just over a week

After about two months of tight border restrictions, Morocco will be ending its flight ban and will soon allow regular commercial air travel once again. This decision, the government says, comes in accordance with "the legal provisions relating to the management of the state of health emergency." The decision was made upon recommendations made by the Moroccan government's scientific and technical commission and takes into consideration "the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom."

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Border measures still being developed

At the time of this article's publication, the government notes that a technical committee is "currently examining the measures to be adopted at border crossings" along with the conditions that will be required for travelers. With many travelers wanting to book flights at least a week or two in advance, this news, unfortunately, means that there remains a certain level of uncertainty on rules relating to vaccination requirements, pre-flight testing, isolation periods, designation of high-risk countries, and more.

At the same time, the government is "reiterating its appeal" to its citizens to continue observing all preventive measures and directives of public authorities, in addition to getting vaccinated.

Royal Air Maroc is ready to resume flights

With the government's statement of intention to resume regular flights, Royal Air Maroc has announced the resumption of its regular international flights on the day the travel ban is lifted.

The flag carrier says that during the multi-month flight ban, it was limited only to operating "exceptional flights to a very limited number of international destinations." However, the airline says it is now working to resume its regular flights, "which will include all destinations of its international network."

The network of destinations, the airline notes, will include direct flights from Morocco to more than fifty destinations in Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East, and Asia. Royal Air Maroc adds that flight schedules and frequencies will progressively increase, saying:

"Eager to keep pace with its customers during the resumption of international flights, Royal Air Maroc will enhance its flight program by gradually increasing the frequency of flights and the number of destinations."

Until its regular flights can resume, Royal Air Maroc notes that it will continue to arrange and secure exceptional flights, through to February 6th. These special services will connect Morocco to the European destinations of Paris, Brussels, Milan, Madrid, and Barcelona.

A week ago, multiple news sources had reported that budget airline Ryanair would abandon its services to Morocco due to the ongoing flight ban. The carrier is likely to reverse course with the newly announced lifting of restrictions.

Were you affected by Morocco's travel ban? Are you glad to see regular flights resuming? Share your thoughts and experiences with us by leaving a comment.