AIn total, 16 agreements were concluded by Abderrahman Brahimi, Morocco, Maghreb, Middle East and Asia director at RAM, and Adil Khalloufi, RAM representative in China, with consolidators and travel agencies specializing in the Morocco destination. .
“We have signed contracts for long-term allocations in terms of seats on our direct Casablanca-Beijing flights, which will strengthen our partnerships with the network of Chinese travel agencies and guarantee a good occupancy rate capable of strengthening the Casablanca-Beijing line”, indicated Brahimi in a statement to MAP.
This signing ceremony marks the conclusion of long discussions with our old and new Chinese partners, he welcomed, stressing that these partnerships demonstrate strong demand from Chinese travelers for the Morocco destination.
Three flights per week
Initially launched on January 16, 2020, the Casablanca-Beijing line was suspended a few weeks later due to the health crisis.
It will be reinstated from January 20, 2025, with three frequencies per week. Flights departing from Casablanca will be operated on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 4:20 p.m. (local time) for landing the next day at Beijing International Airport at 11:55 a.m. (local time).
Departures from Beijing will be made on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at 1:55 p.m. (local time) for an arrival in Casablanca at 8:10 p.m. (local time).
The flights will be operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 302 seats, including 26 in business class.
The reestablishment of this line is part of the RAM’s general strategic plan 2024-2037, aimed at facilitating, developing and enriching trade between Morocco and China, explained Brahimi. In this regard, he affirmed that the national airline planned to gradually increase the frequency of its flights to Beijing, from three to seven weekly connections.
RAM also plans to expand its network to other Chinese metropolises, notably Shanghai and Guangzhou, destinations identified as potentially profitable for both passenger and freight transport, he added.
“RAM’s direct Casablanca-Beijing air link concretizes the bilateral agreements concluded during the historic visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to China in 2016, which notably resulted in visa exemption for Chinese nationals traveling to Morocco”, noted Brahimi.
The royal visit to China marked a turning point in bilateral relations, giving rise to numerous exchanges of delegations between the two countries in the industrial, economic and cultural fields, he maintained, noting that direct service to the RAM to the Chinese capital is part of strengthening this dynamic, by offering a more practical alternative to flights transiting through European or Middle Eastern hubs.
A gala dinner was organized on this occasion, in the presence of representatives of the Moroccan embassy in China, journalists and Chinese and Moroccan personalities from various backgrounds.
Speaking at this event, the Moroccan Ambassador to China, Abdelkader El Ansari, stressed that the Casablanca-Beijing direct line of the RAM responds to a real need to support the dynamics of Sino-Moroccan bilateral relations, both on the level of economic and commercial exchanges as well as human exchanges.
The reestablishment of this line is also part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening relations between China and the African continent, he argued.
He also highlighted the positioning of Casablanca airport as a major hub between Asia, Europe and North America, on the one hand, and around forty African destinations, on the other.
This ambition is reinforced by the recent distinction of RAM, voted best airline in Africa for the second consecutive year, thus strengthening its credibility on the international market, concluded the ambassador.
RAM representatives then presented the strategy and vision of the Moroccan airline regarding the prospects for tourism development between the two countries.
(with MAP)
