By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is set to make aviation history next year with the launch of Africa’s first direct flight to Los Angeles. The new route, scheduled to begin on June 7 next year, will operate three times a week from Casablanca, just days before the start of the FIFA World Cup.
The airline says the service is being introduced to meet rising demand ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on June 11 and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The long-haul expansion also strengthens RAM’s presence in North America, where it already flies to New York, Washington, Miami, Montreal and Toronto.
With an early-morning departure from Casablanca, the Los Angeles flight is designed to offer convenient connections for passengers coming from West and Central Africa as well as Europe. The route forms part of the carrier’s strategy to position Morocco as a global air-transport and tourism hub ahead of the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted with Spain and Portugal.
Royal Air Maroc will deploy its Boeing 787 fleet on the new service. Ticket sales opened on 4 December.
Founded in 1957, Royal Air Maroc is Morocco’s national carrier and one of Africa’s leading airlines, operating a network of more than 90 destinations across Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. The airline is a member of the oneworld alliance and is known for its expanding long-haul capabilities and strategic role in connecting Africa with the rest of the world.
