► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc looking to acquire "20-30" Next Gen aircraft for fleet renewal.

Morocco's national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT), is planning to immediately acquire between "20 and 30 NextGen aircraft, including 15 medium-haul and 5 long-haul jets", airline Chief Executive Officer, Mr Driss Benhima, has announced.

RAM's second B787 (CN-RGC) (Simpilot459)

According to Mr Benhima, with his airline's fleet of forty-four medium and long haul aircraft (one B747-400, four B767-300s, thirty-one 737-800s and six B737-700s) fast becoming obsolete, the Boeing 787, the 737 MAX along with the Airbus neo were all under consideration. Embraer E-Jets, currently on a trial run this Summer, along with Bombardier's latest product, the C-Series, were also under review he said.

"We wish to renew our fleet with the new-generation planes, and we need between 20 and 30 additional jets by 2020," RAM Chief Executive Driss Benhima told state news agency Map.

Source [Reuters]

Originally due in Q4 of 2012, Royal Air Maroc will only now be taking delivery of its first two of four  Boeing 787 Dreamliners in Q4 2014.

Following heavy losses in the last 3 years, RAM recently announced it had generated an operating profit of USD83million (MAD718million) for its most recent 2012 Financial Year with turnover for the year rising 7% to USD1.6billion (EUR1.25billion).