Royal Air Maroc suspends Brussels–Marrakech route

Royal Air Maroc said on May 23 that it had suspended 12 routes across Europe and Africa, including the Brussels-Marrakech service, as higher kerosene prices and weaker demand on some routes pushed the Moroccan carrier to trim its network. The airline said the cuts were temporary and would be reviewed as fuel prices and market conditions changed. Brussels was one of four Marrakech routes put on hold, alongside Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. Casablanca services to Bangui, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Douala, Yaounde and Libreville were also suspended. ### Which route is affected in Belgium? Brussels was named by Royal Air Maroc as one of the suspended Marrakech links, according to reports published on May 24 citing the carrier’s statement. The affected city pair is Brussels-Marrakech, a route that had been marketed on the airline’s website before the suspension. (aviation24.be) Aviation24.be reported that the Brussels-Marrakech suspension was part of a broader pullback affecting European and African routes. Africanews, citing agencies, said the airline had paused 12 routes in total. ### Why did Royal Air Maroc cut the route? Royal Air Maroc said the immediate trigger was the rise in kerosene prices, combined with softer passenger demand on certain international services. (aviation24.be) Aviation24.be said the airline linked the fuel-price increase to disruption in supplies moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for aviation fuel bound for Europe. Africanews reported that the company described the move as a temporary adjustment to its network rather than a permanent withdrawal. The same report said the suspensions would be reassessed based on fuel prices and market demand. ### How broad are the cuts beyond Brussels-Marrakech? Marrakech lost four Royal Air Maroc routes in this round of suspensions: Brussels, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. (aviation24.be) Tangier also lost links to Barcelona and Malaga, while Casablanca lost six services to Central and West African destinations. (africanews.com) Morocco Telegraph, citing a Royal Air Maroc statement carried by the Moroccan state news agency MAP, listed the same 12 affected routes. That account matched the European and African destinations identified by other reports. ### Is this only a Royal Air Maroc problem? Travel And Tour World reported on May 7, citing aviation analytics firm Cirium, that airlines worldwide cut about 13,000 flights from May schedules, removing roughly 2 million seats. (aviation24.be) The publication said the reductions came as higher jet-fuel costs strained airline operations. (moroccotelegraph.com) STV News, also citing Cirium, reported that scheduled international seats for May fell from more than 132 million on April 10 to 130 million by April 21. That broader reduction provides context for Royal Air Maroc’s route cuts, though the carrier said its own decision also reflected weaker demand on some services. ### Has Royal Air Maroc said when Brussels-Marrakech will return? (travelandtourworld.com) Royal Air Maroc did not give a restart date in the reports published on May 24. The carrier said services would resume gradually once operational and economic conditions improved, while Africanews said the suspensions would be reviewed against fuel prices and demand. (news.stv.tv) Royal Air Maroc’s public booking pages were still showing other Brussels departures and separate fare listings on May 24, but the airline’s flight-information page said availability depends on date and schedule. The next concrete update is likely to come through the carrier’s schedule and flight-status channels. (royalairmaroc.com) (aviation24.be)