....if you want to experience hell at the airport.

I am writing this from the airport in Casablanca and I am tired, sleepy, frustrated and very very angry.

These people are rude, unfeeling, callous and just plain dishonest.

But let me start from the beginning. I got my Immigrant Visa last year and decided to fly Air Maroc.

Usually, I fly Delta (got the SkyMiles card to boot). But at that time, Delta needed to leave in a hurry to catch a conference in DC before heading home to the family and so I was seduced not just by the price that RAM offered, but also because it was the next quickest. Less than 5 hours to Casablanca, and another 7-odd hours to DC. So I could leave in the morning, and be in the States same day.

I was concerned about the 14-hour layover on the return leg, but the Arline assured me they had accommodation arrangements per IATA policy.

It looked a great deal, so I took it.

A couple of months after, a US Citizen friend of mine, who hadn't been home in years, told me of the harrowing experience he and his family went through with RAM on that layover.

He vowed never to touch them again even if they offered him seats for free.

Based on that, you can understand how I boarded the flight with a bit of trepidation last night. But I hoped that his tales of woe might be the over reaction of someone who has lived in the States for too long and blows any small inconvenience out of proportion.

How wrong I was.

We arrived in Casablanca nearly an hour behind schedule. Then formed a long, snaking queue at the transit desk to get our hotel vouchers. When it got to my turn, the lady looked at my boarding pass and asked me to go and sit down, that we would be attended to later.

So far, so good. I joined a few others and went to sit down. After about an hour, a man came and asked those of us from DC to come with him. We all went down, he showed us to a bus which we boarded and were taken somewhere.

That's when trouble began. The young man there blocked the entrance and launched into a staccato of Arabic. It took almost half an hour of confusion for us to calm him down and asked him what was going on, he told us we had to return to the transit terminal.

Apparently, there was no space where we had been brought to.

Back to the terminal we headed. Only, there was no bus to take us. So we had to wait in the sun for almost another half hour before they got us a bus.

Back at the transit desk, we were told to queue again for hotel vouchers. Mind you, this wasn't as straightforward as I'm writing, trust me. It took a while, raised voices, hand signs, and near fisticuffs to get to that point.

And so we queued again. Finally, we got hotel vouchers. By the time it got to my turn, some of those who had picked up theirs earlier had returned, saying they were turned back at the hotel reception because they didn't have meal vouchers to go with the hotel ones.

They were told to join the queue again and wait till it was their turn.

Incredible!

Anyway, I finally got my voucher (both hotel and meal, thankfully) and proceeded to the hotel. Got there, only to be told that they are fully booked and the earliest checkout is 9PM!

Yes 9PM.

In case that doesn't compute, let me lay it out.

Land Casablanca at 10am.
Receive hotel voucher 3 hours later at past 1PM
Can't check into hotel till 9PM
Check-in time for flight is 11:15PM
Ergo, we have to perambulate around the airport for 11 hours, then get a room for 2 hours.

How very considerate of Royal Air Maroc.

FINALLY, just like my friend, I've come to a decision. I'm NEVER, EVER flying Air Maroc again.

Not just because of this entire fiasco, but because it was very clear to me that they knew exactly what they were doing.

They have limited accommodation for the passengers coming through, they know this. And so they try all these delay tactics to waste time and end up giving accommodation to only the very few they can accommodate. And their attitude, rather than be courteous is haughtily rude and condescending.

Even if I get a seat for free, I'm tearing up that ticket

Air Maroc is horrible apart: from their terribly old planes which they use in Nigeria , they also speak mostly French and Arabic at their airport so there's a language barrier.

Their stop overs are long but if you had known you would have just spent your time at the airport instead at least you would have gotten three generous meals (*3) during your stay there.

My experience with them wasn't good as well but thankfully I had a Cameroonian with me so it wasn't hard to communicate with their staffs

Overall, it wasn't a good experience at all-apart from the meals we ate

Wow. Guys thanks for the eye opener.

I am planning to fly with them (mainly because of the time convenience of their schedule) to Copenhagen Denmark. I think I will reconsider my decision.

Bandeco:
Wow. Guys thanks for the eye opener.

I am planning to fly with them (mainly because of the time convenience of their schedule) to Copenhagen Denmark. I think I will reconsider my decision.

Baba how far ? Can we talk regarding ur trip to denmark.

Mynd44 day don break for Morocco oh

Their fares are quite cheap though

though they are cheap but this long write ups made the cheapness something else.
thanks for taking your time to inform us.

goryorhal:


Baba how far ? Can we talk regarding ur trip to denmark.

Yes.. We can talk here

Bandeco:

Yes.. We can talk here

when are u leaving for denmark cuz i also will be moving there very soon.. Needs to get some contacts that's why

9jaStar:
....if you want to experience hell at the airport.

I am writing this from the airport in Casablanca and I am tired, sleepy, frustrated and very very angry.

These people are rude, unfeeling, callous and just plain dishonest.

But let me start from the beginning. I got my Immigrant Visa last year and decided to fly Air Maroc.

Usually, I fly Delta (got the SkyMiles card to boot). But at that time, Delta needed to leave in a hurry to catch a conference in DC before heading home to the family and so I was seduced not just by the price that RAM offered, but also because it was the next quickest. Less than 5 hours to Casablanca, and another 7-odd hours to DC. So I could leave in the morning, and be in the States same day.

I was concerned about the 14-hour layover on the return leg, but the Arline assured me they had accommodation arrangements per IATA policy.

It looked a great deal, so I took it.

A couple of months after, a US Citizen friend of mine, who hadn't been home in years, told me of the harrowing experience he and his family went through with RAM on that layover.

He vowed never to touch them again even if they offered him seats for free.

Based on that, you can understand how I boarded the flight with a bit of trepidation last night. But I hoped that his tales of woe might be the over reaction of someone who has lived in the States for too long and blows any small inconvenience out of proportion.

How wrong I was.

We arrived in Casablanca nearly an hour behind schedule. Then formed a long, snaking queue at the transit desk to get our hotel vouchers. When it got to my turn, the lady looked at my boarding pass and asked me to go and sit down, that we would be attended to later.

So far, so good. I joined a few others and went to sit down. After about an hour, a man came and asked those of us from DC to come with him. We all went down, he showed us to a bus which we boarded and were taken somewhere.

That's when trouble began. The young man there blocked the entrance and launched into a staccato of Arabic. It took almost half an hour of confusion for us to calm him down and asked him what was going on, he told us we had to return to the transit terminal.

Apparently, there was no space where we had been brought to.

Back to the terminal we headed. Only, there was no bus to take us. So we had to wait in the sun for almost another half hour before they got us a bus.

Back at the transit desk, we were told to queue again for hotel vouchers. Mind you, this wasn't as straightforward as I'm writing, trust me. It took a while, raised voices, hand signs, and near fisticuffs to get to that point.

And so we queued again. Finally, we got hotel vouchers. By the time it got to my turn, some of those who had picked up theirs earlier had returned, saying they were turned back at the hotel reception because they didn't have meal vouchers to go with the hotel ones.

They were told to join the queue again and wait till it was their turn.

Incredible!

Anyway, I finally got my voucher (both hotel and meal, thankfully) and proceeded to the hotel. Got there, only to be told that they are fully booked and the earliest checkout is 9PM!

Yes 9PM.

In case that doesn't compute, let me lay it out.

Land Casablanca at 10am.
Receive hotel voucher 3 hours later at past 1PM
Can't check into hotel till 9PM
Check-in time for flight is 11:15PM
Ergo, we have to perambulate around the airport for 11 hours, then get a room for 2 hours.

How very considerate of Royal Air Maroc.

FINALLY, just like my friend, I've come to a decision. I'm NEVER, EVER flying Air Maroc again.

Not just because of this entire fiasco, but because it was very clear to me that they knew exactly what they were doing.

They have limited accommodation for the passengers coming through, they know this. And so they try all these delay tactics to waste time and end up giving accommodation to only the very few they can accommodate. And their attitude, rather than be courteous is haughtily rude and condescending.

Even if I get a seat for free, I'm tearing up that ticket

chai nawa oooo... I can't touch Egyptair and AirMaroc.. never

Sorry to hear your story OP. But now you know better. If sounds too good to be true; it obviously isn't true. I've never had any need to use Royal Air Maroc. But from the reviews they get online, I wouldn't touch them with a seven foot pole.

9jaStar:
....if you want to experience hell at the airport.

I am writing this from the airport in Casablanca and I am tired, sleepy, frustrated and very very angry.

These people are rude, unfeeling, callous and just plain dishonest.

But let me start from the beginning. I got my Immigrant Visa last year and decided to fly Air Maroc.

Usually, I fly Delta (got the SkyMiles card to boot). But at that time, Delta needed to leave in a hurry to catch a conference in DC before heading home to the family and so I was seduced not just by the price that RAM offered, but also because it was the next quickest. Less than 5 hours to Casablanca, and another 7-odd hours to DC. So I could leave in the morning, and be in the States same day.

I was concerned about the 14-hour layover on the return leg, but the Arline assured me they had accommodation arrangements per IATA policy.

It looked a great deal, so I took it.

A couple of months after, a US Citizen friend of mine, who hadn't been home in years, told me of the harrowing experience he and his family went through with RAM on that layover.

He vowed never to touch them again even if they offered him seats for free.

Based on that, you can understand how I boarded the flight with a bit of trepidation last night. But I hoped that his tales of woe might be the over reaction of someone who has lived in the States for too long and blows any small inconvenience out of proportion.

How wrong I was.

We arrived in Casablanca nearly an hour behind schedule. Then formed a long, snaking queue at the transit desk to get our hotel vouchers. When it got to my turn, the lady looked at my boarding pass and asked me to go and sit down, that we would be attended to later.

So far, so good. I joined a few others and went to sit down. After about an hour, a man came and asked those of us from DC to come with him. We all went down, he showed us to a bus which we boarded and were taken somewhere.

That's when trouble began. The young man there blocked the entrance and launched into a staccato of Arabic. It took almost half an hour of confusion for us to calm him down and asked him what was going on, he told us we had to return to the transit terminal.

Apparently, there was no space where we had been brought to.

Back to the terminal we headed. Only, there was no bus to take us. So we had to wait in the sun for almost another half hour before they got us a bus.

Back at the transit desk, we were told to queue again for hotel vouchers. Mind you, this wasn't as straightforward as I'm writing, trust me. It took a while, raised voices, hand signs, and near fisticuffs to get to that point.

And so we queued again. Finally, we got hotel vouchers. By the time it got to my turn, some of those who had picked up theirs earlier had returned, saying they were turned back at the hotel reception because they didn't have meal vouchers to go with the hotel ones.

They were told to join the queue again and wait till it was their turn.

Incredible!

Anyway, I finally got my voucher (both hotel and meal, thankfully) and proceeded to the hotel. Got there, only to be told that they are fully booked and the earliest checkout is 9PM!

Yes 9PM.

In case that doesn't compute, let me lay it out.

Land Casablanca at 10am.
Receive hotel voucher 3 hours later at past 1PM
Can't check into hotel till 9PM
Check-in time for flight is 11:15PM
Ergo, we have to perambulate around the airport for 11 hours, then get a room for 2 hours.

How very considerate of Royal Air Maroc.

FINALLY, just like my friend, I've come to a decision. I'm NEVER, EVER flying Air Maroc again.

Not just because of this entire fiasco, but because it was very clear to me that they knew exactly what they were doing.

They have limited accommodation for the passengers coming through, they know this. And so they try all these delay tactics to waste time and end up giving accommodation to only the very few they can accommodate. And their attitude, rather than be courteous is haughtily rude and condescending.

Even if I get a seat for free, I'm tearing up that ticket

,

As the Op said, its a deliberate step from them to keep the passengers occupied till the flight.

Most people that buy tickets from us usually insist on the cheapest flight but then with cheap things come big problems. That's why most people go for direct flights. Even if your Budget is not huge enough, you can go for a flight with the least stop over time e.g 45 mins, 1hr and so on

HokageTravels:
As the Op said, its a deliberate step from them to keep the passengers occupied till the flight.

Most people that buy tickets from us usually insist on the cheapest flight but then with cheap things come big problems. That's why most people go for direct flights. Even if your Budget is not huge enough, you can go for a flight with the least stop over time e.g 45 mins, 1hr and so on

Whats your recommendation for one going to Czech Republic on a low budget?

gowaga68:

Whats your recommendation for one going to Czech Republic on a low budget?

When are you going? It depends on how low your budget is... There are some stop-overs that are for 45 mins, some for 24 hours! Depending on your budget.

You can drop the dates you wish to travel, type of ticket and your budget. I will take a look at some itineraries and get back to you.

Thank you!!!

Do royal air Maroc flights have Wi-Fi on board? If not how can I provide my own Internet on board?

It's a good thing I found this thread. I have an event in Marrakech, Morocco later in the year and was looking around for flight and visa info. I think, I will explore other airlines afterall.

Thanks for the heads up bro. My colleague had to cancel his flight booking with them after I told him about your experience.