Covid-19: Morocco's Flag Carrier Established Austerity Plan to Handle Crisis Impact
Rabat – Morocco's flag carrier- Royal Air Maroc (RAM) group- has established an austerity plan to face the repercussions of the crisis linked to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Air Transport and Social Economy, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, said on Monday.
Speaking during the oral question session at the House of Representatives, Fettah Alaoui stressed that "the national company RAM has drawn up an austerity plan with a range of measures to combat the fallout from the crisis. We are currently developing a recovery plan based on an analysis of demand and preventive measures for passengers and employees".
Citing a report by the International Air Transport Association, the government official said airline revenues are expected to fall by about $252 billion and that the aviation industry will see its potential shrink by more than 30% this year.
In the case of Morocco, she added, the report shows a reduction in air traffic of about 5 million passengers, with the consequent risks in terms of financial and job losses in the sector.
She underlined that the company has maintained a number of aircrafts in service, including cargo planes that have made dozens of flights in recent weeks to China and South Korea to transport equipment and medical supplies.
The company also operates flights to import and export thousands of tons of consumer products to Morocco and other African countries to promote the national and African economy, Fettah Alaoui noted. According to her, airlines are called upon to ensure the maintenance and technical control of their aircrafts on the ground so that they are ready to take off as soon as air traffic resumes.
With regard to airports, the minister indicated that, since the announcement of the first cases of Covid-19 infection, the National Airports Authority (ONDA) has worked in close coordination with the various stakeholders to take the necessary health and organizational measures to deal with the repercussions of the coronavirus before the disease was declared a global pandemic by the WHO.
During the period of health confinement marked by the closure of the national airspace, she went on, ONDA continued the disinfection of the various airport facilities that have not ceased their air cargo activities and the reception of various goods and medical equipment used by the ministry of Health, as part of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking during the oral question session at the House of Representatives, Fettah Alaoui stressed that "the national company RAM has drawn up an austerity plan with a range of measures to combat the fallout from the crisis. We are currently developing a recovery plan based on an analysis of demand and preventive measures for passengers and employees".
Citing a report by the International Air Transport Association, the government official said airline revenues are expected to fall by about $252 billion and that the aviation industry will see its potential shrink by more than 30% this year.
In the case of Morocco, she added, the report shows a reduction in air traffic of about 5 million passengers, with the consequent risks in terms of financial and job losses in the sector.
She underlined that the company has maintained a number of aircrafts in service, including cargo planes that have made dozens of flights in recent weeks to China and South Korea to transport equipment and medical supplies.
The company also operates flights to import and export thousands of tons of consumer products to Morocco and other African countries to promote the national and African economy, Fettah Alaoui noted. According to her, airlines are called upon to ensure the maintenance and technical control of their aircrafts on the ground so that they are ready to take off as soon as air traffic resumes.
With regard to airports, the minister indicated that, since the announcement of the first cases of Covid-19 infection, the National Airports Authority (ONDA) has worked in close coordination with the various stakeholders to take the necessary health and organizational measures to deal with the repercussions of the coronavirus before the disease was declared a global pandemic by the WHO.
During the period of health confinement marked by the closure of the national airspace, she went on, ONDA continued the disinfection of the various airport facilities that have not ceased their air cargo activities and the reception of various goods and medical equipment used by the ministry of Health, as part of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Source : https://www.emouaten.com/english/Covid-19-Morocco-...