eTN Global Travel Industry News
Royal Air Maroc, the national airline of Morocco, marks a milestone with the launch of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The new, superefficient 274-seat aircraft will depart on its inaugural 6.5-hour flight from Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca (CMN) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on February 22.
“Royal Air Maroc is thrilled to finally launch our first Dreamliner service between Casablanca and New York; we have been waiting several years to modernize our fleet with this revolutionary aircraft,” said Mr. Abdelhamid Khalil, vice president, the Americas at Royal Air Maroc. “The new 787 allows us to fulfill our hospitality promise to guests with the best aircraft available.”
This launch marks the first of two 787-8s that will be dedicated to transatlantic flights between the U.S. and Morocco. Royal Air Maroc’s new planes feature 18 Business Class seats in a 2-2 layout, and 256 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout.
The long-range, twin-engine Boeing 787-8 can travel up to 7,850 nautical miles at a cruising speed of Mach 0.85. All planes feature larger overhead space to accommodate additional carry-on bags and windows that are 30 percent larger than similarly sized aircrafts. The 787-8 is 60 percent less noisy and uses 20 percent less fuel with 20 percent fewer emissions than the airplanes it replaces.
Royal Air Maroc offers year-round, daily, non-stop service between New York JFK and Casablanca, increasing to twice-daily service each June – October. Casablanca serves as Royal Air Maroc’s primary hub, offering connections to 87 cities throughout Morocco, West Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
