Morocco ‘s national carrier – Royal Air Maroc has described its membership of the global airlines’ network : Oneworld, as a strategic move that will give its passengers access to connect into any part of the world with other carriers.
As the only African airline on the alliance , the carrier said its membership of the alliance will guarantee better connection between the continent and other parts of the world.
Speaking at a briefing to mark the second year anniversary of joining Oneworld,Royal Air Maroc Chief Finance Officer, Karim Benchekroun, and Oneworld Chief Executive Officer, Rob Gurney described it as a feat that would launch the carrier to greater heights.
Bencheroun said the carrier considers Nigeria as a very important market for Royal Air Maroc hence the decision to celebrate its second year anniversary into Oneworld alliance in Lagos.He said :” We are here to communicate directly with our customers about this membership and the considerable advantages it offers.
“Nigeria is a natural market for us, given its excellent relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco,” Benchekroun continued, adding that this country is also an important market for aviation for obvious reasons, namely the existence of a large customer base made up of diverse segments.
Dwelling on the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on air transport, the Support Division Director of Royal Air Maroc indicated that Nigeria was one of the first markets it took over as soon as restrictions were eased.
He said :” Being the first African airline to join Oneworld since April 1, 2020 Royal Air Maroc is not only bringing this prestigious alliance to Africa, but also linking Africa to Oneworld.
” It also means that passengers in Nigeria and Africa in general now have access to an extremely large network, with no less than 1,000 destinations in 170 countries, and access to up to 650 lounges in different airports and other benefits.
” The integration of Royal Air Maroc within Oneworld will benefit the company’s passengers who will now draw from better experience thanks to optimized connections between the fourteen member airlines with assistance shared internationally. This membership will also contribute to the international promotion of the African destinations served by the company.
“Being part of the Oneworld alliance consolidates the position of Royal Air Maroc as one of the leaders in air transport in Africa.”
For his part, Rob Gurney said that : ” Thanks to Royal Air Maroc, the Oneworld network is considerably reinforced in Africa, thus offering excellent connectivity to business and leisure destinations in the region. As international travel resumes, Royal Air Maroc customers can expect more rewards and benefits when flying with the airline and its partners at Oneworld.”
“Royal Air Maroc will be an important contributor to Oneworld. Thanks to Morocco’s proximity to Europe, the RAM hub in Casablanca is well placed to serve as a gateway to Africa for the benefit of Oneworld customers,” he said.
Gurney said when the airline joined the alliance, it added more than 30 new destinations in Africa to the network, adding that with a strong network of more than 80 destinations, Royal Air Maroc’s membership in Oneworld allows the airline to position itself as the alliance of choice for customers to and from this region.
“As the health crisis has subsided these days, the alliances will continue to play a key role in providing member airlines with a global network to better serve their customers,” he concluded.