■ MOROCCO: Bombardier proceeds with construction of its first African manufacturing facility in Nouaceur.

Canadian aircraft & train manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace, has held a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony on the site of its future manufacturing facility situated in the now-open Midparc Casablanca Free Zone, in Nouaceur, Morocco. The occasion was attended by King Mohammed VI of Morocco, various Bombardier suits as well as Moroccan and Canadian dignitaries.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc outlines planned Summer 2014 network additions.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will,  in Summer 2014, be adding four new European services to its network beginning March 30, 2014. Among the planned services are flights to Montpellier, Venice. Flights will use a combination of B737NGs and Embraer E190s.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Saudia Cargo to boost Morocco, Kenya, South Africa freight capacity.

Saudia Cargo (SV) has announced an increase in its belly and freighter capacity on a number of routes across its global network. In terms of its African destinations, the Saudi Arabian operator plans to boost its dedicated freighter frequencies to Nairobi while adding bellyhold capacity to Casablanca and Johannesburg through increased passenger flights.

► CZECH REPUBLIC: Royal Air Maroc starts 3x weekly Prague flights from February 2014.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will, from February 17, commence 3x weekly flights from Casablanca to Prague, Czech Republic on board its Embraer E190 jets on lease from Denim Air ACMI. The two cities last saw direct service over thirty years ago.

► CHAD: Royal Air Maroc eyeing 3x weekly Bangui via N'djamena flights from mid December.

Not to be outdone by regional rivals, Tunisair (TU) who themselves have already begun rolling out new West and Central African routes, Royal Air Maroc (AT), are planning to launch a 3x weekly service to the Chadian capital, Ndjamena. The route will operate onwards to the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, before returning direct to Casablanca using a B737-800 effective December 20. The route therefore means Bangui will see a service increase from the current 2x weekly flights, operated via Douala, Cameroon. RAM have been granted 5th Freedom rights between Ndjamena and Bangui.

► GERMANY: Royal Air Maroc resumes Casablanca - Munich from December.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will, from 7 December, resume flights from Casablanca to Munich, Germany following a 7-year long interregnum. The thrice weekly flights will be operated by Denim Air Embraer E190 aircraft.

► SPAIN: Royal Air Maroc starts Casablanca - Tenerife Nord from late October.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) is set to begin flights from Casablanca to Tenerife Nord with effect from 29OCT. The three times weekly flights will operate using an ATR72. Canary Islands-based carrier, Binter Canarias (NT) currently serves Marrakech from Tenerife Nord.

► KENYA: Royal Air Maroc to tap into Kenyan market before year end.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) has once more announced plans to begin flights between Casablanca and Nairobi, Kenya. In a statement made in Nairobi at the signing of various bilateral trade agreements between Morocco and Kenya, Moroccan Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Abdelkader Amara, said RAM would introduce direct flights to Nairobi "by the end of the year."

► BRAZIL: Royal Air Maroc to return to Brazil from mid December.

Morocco's national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT) is set to join the growing number of African carriers jostling for a share of the growing South America - Africa market when it resumes flights to Brazil from December this year. Swiss aviation newswire, ch-aviation, reports that flights from Casablanca to Sao Paolo will operate 3x weekly using a 767-300ER effective 20 December.

► QATAR: Qatar Airways announces direct Tripoli, Casablanca flights from June 1.

Qatar Airways (QR) has announced an increase in capacity between Qatar and North Africa with its flights to Tripoli and Casablanca going non-stop, effective 01JUN. Effective 01JUN, scheduled services to Tripoli will be decoupled from the Egyptian city of Alexandria while at the same time, flights to Casablanca will be decoupled from Tunis.

■ EGYPT: New BASA signed with Morocco as a revised one with Turkey still pending says EHCAAN boss.

The North African countries of Morocco and Egypt on May 5 finalized a renewed Bilateral Air Servcies Agreement which will see frequencies between the countries doubled from the previous seven, to fourteen weekly for each country's respective designated carrier(s). According to the head of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN), Engineer Magdy Abd El-Hady Hafez, the revised BASA also allows for Egyptair (MS) to serve other cities outside of Casablanca, including the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc outlines its planned E190 Summer routes.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will this Summer lease two Embraer E190 aircraft from Holland's Denim Air ACMI (J7) for use on routes to Germany, Guinea Bissau, France, Denmark and the Canary Islands.

■ MOROCCO: Aerotechnic Industries expands scope to now include overhaul of Boeing 737NG airframes; secures RAM contract.

During a ceremony attended by Mr Driss Benhima, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Air Maroc (RAM) Group, and Mr Franck Terner, President, Air France Industries, the two partners officially announced a new phase in the development of their Aerotechnic Industries (ATI) joint venture. Set up in 2009, the 50/50 joint venture between the two groups is now extending the scope of its activities to the overhauling of Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) airframes. 

► TURKEY: Turkish Cargo outlines its planned Africa Summer 2013 network.

According to the airline’s latest schedule listing, Turkish Airlines Cargo’s Summer 2013 planned operation as follow. The airline did not specify operational aircraft in its schedule listing. 

► WESTERN SAHARA: Royal Air Maroc launches direct Gran Canaria - Laayoune flights; Cargo ops to come in June.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) is planning to boost both cargo and passenger services out of Laâyoune, the capital of Western Sahara (also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) with the recent launch of flights to Gran Canaria  and Royal Air Maroc Cargo flights from Dakar to Casablanca via Laâyoune set to begin in June 2013.

► ITALY: Royal Air Maroc resumes Casablanca - Turin from June.

Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT), during Summer 2013 season, will resume its Casablanca – Turin service, where it plans to operate 3 weekly flights effective 11 JUN13. RAM last operated this route in mid-January 2012.

► SENEGAL: Royal Air Maroc adds 3 extra weekly Casablanca - Dakar flights from April.

Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc (AT) will from 10 April, boost its frequencies between Casablanca and Dakar, Senegal through the addition of 3 extra flights, bringing to 17 the number of weekly flights between the two cities.

► SWITZERLAND: Royal Air Maroc resumes Casablanca - Zurich in mid April.

AirlineRoute writes that Royal Air Maroc (AT), from 19APR13, will resume its service to Zurich, after an 18 month service suspension. The airline will operate a 3x weekly Casablanca – Zurich service on board a Boeing 737-700 aircraft.

■ MOROCCO: Bombardier's new plant starts production of its first components.

Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace, on 7 February announced the start of production of what it described as "simple components" at its transitional facility at Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport in Nouaceur. Production comes after a graduation ceremony was held on 1 February at the Institut des Metiers de l’Aeronautique (IMA), following which 18 aircraft assemblers began manufacturing their first Bombardier components.

► MOROCCO: Jetairfly to launch new flights to Holland, France for Summer.

Following on from our previous post, Jetairfly (TB), the LCC successor to Jet4you, a low-cost Moroccan carrier, has announced the imminent launch of four new routes between the Netherlands, France and Morocco.