Ryanair overtakes Royal Air Maroc

The Moroccan sky is experiencing an unexpected upheaval. Since the arrival of the Irish company Ryanair in 2019, the cards of air transport have been reshuffled. Ryanair, with its low-cost fares, has soared to establish itself as the leader of the air market between Morocco and Europe. This year, it has almost reached ten million passengers, leaving Royal Air Maroc (RAM) far behind.

Ryanair’s meteoric rise

Between 2019 and 2024, seat capacity between Morocco and Europe increased by 36.3%. Much of this growth is due to Ryanair, which now occupies first place with nearly 9.8 million seats. This represents an impressive increase of 96.7% compared to 2019. A real slap in the face for RAM, which saw its capacity drop slightly by 3%.

Ryanair’s low-cost strategy is attracting more and more Moroccan and European travelers. While RAM is trying to maintain its place in the ranking, the distance between the two companies is widening. Ryanair continues to gain ground, helped by its aggressive business model and increasingly competitive offers.

RAM losing momentum?

With 4.8 million seats, RAM remains the second largest airline in terms of capacity. However, this figure is well below that of Ryanair, and the slight decline since 2019 could indicate structural difficulties. RAM must now rethink its strategy to face the growing pressure from the low-cost airlines that dominate the market.

Other rising actors

Third place goes to Air Arabia Maroc, which recorded a 26.4% increase in capacity, reaching 3.1 million seats. EasyJet, another low-cost carrier, occupies fourth place with 2.9 million seats. As for Wizz Air, its incredible 606.4% increase makes it one to watch closely, with 411,842 seats.

European giants in the race

European airlines also play a major role in the development of air transport between Morocco and Europe. Transavia, for example, ranks fifth with 2.5 million seats, closely followed by Air France with more than 1.2 million seats.

Transport giants continue to fight for a share of the Moroccan market, but trends clearly show that low-cost carriers are increasingly taking over. TUI, once a major player, recorded a significant decline of 32.8%, further evidence that the traditional model is in decline.

Ryanair has struck hard by shaking up the established order in the Moroccan skies. With competitors like RAM and Air Arabia looking to stay afloat, the battle for air transport in Morocco is only just beginning.

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