Popularity increases by 19% at Moroccan airports

The National Airports Office reported that Moroccan airports recorded, during the first five months of 2024, a commercial volume of 12,353,496 passengers, an increase of 19 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

A statement from the National Airports Office stated that international air traffic recorded a growth of 19 percent, reaching 11 million, 135,210 passengers, while domestic air traffic increased by 18 percent, reaching 1 million, 218,286 passengers.

The same source added that the creation of many new international airlines to Moroccan airports contributed to this performance, pointing to Marrakesh Airlines: Leeds Bradford (United Kingdom), Tangier: Lisbon and Barcelona, ​​Rabat: Istanbul, Barcelona, ​​Paris Charles de Gaulle, Brussels and Pale Mulhouse. (Switzerland), Tetouan: Amsterdam and Bilbao, Casablanca: Abidjan.

Regarding aircraft movements, Moroccan airports recorded 90,738 movements, an increase of about 14 percent compared to the end of May 2023.

For its part, air freight activity reached 39,655 tons during the first five months of 2024, recording a growth of 27 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

During the month of May 2024 alone, Moroccan airports received 2 million 827 thousand and 570 passengers, a strong increase of 20 percent compared to the same month in 2023.

Casablanca Mohammed V Airport, which represents 31 percent of the total air traffic, recorded 869,278 passengers, an increase of 4 percent compared to May 2023. Most of the other airports also recorded significant growth rates, especially Rabat-Salé airports (+ 48 percent), Agadir – Massira (+40 percent), Marrakesh – Menara (34 percent), Tangier – Ibn Battuta (+33 percent), Oujda – Angad (+14 percent), Fez – Sais (+ 9 percent).

International transport traffic increased by 18 percent last May, reaching 2 million, 493,951 passengers.

This growth is due to the performance achieved by the European market, which accounts for 85 percent of international air traffic, recording a double-digit growth rate (+21 percent). Air traffic with Africa and North America also increased, respectively, by (+13 percent) and (+9 percent).

For its part, domestic air traffic increased by 37 percent, receiving 333,619 passengers, driven by the launch of new domestic flights by the airline (Ryanair) (Tangier-Oujda, Tangier-Essaouira, and Tangier-Ouarzazate).

Regarding airport movement during last May, the National Airports Office indicated about 20,351 aircraft movements between departure and arrival at various Moroccan airports, which represents an increase of 17 percent compared to May of last year.

The share of Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport reached 33 percent of the total aircraft movement, followed by Marrakesh-Menara (26 percent) and Agadir-Massirah (9 percent) airports.

As for air freight activity, it recorded an increase of 33 percent during the month of May 2024 compared to the same month of last year, reaching 8,935 tons.