Airfares Soar in Laayoune Following Subsidy Cuts

Residents and travelers in Laayoune, a city in Morocco's southern provinces, are facing a new reality of significantly higher airfares. Tickets for flights to and from the city now hover around 1,000 Moroccan dirhams, a substantial increase that has drawn attention from travel agencies and local sources.

The surge in prices is directly linked to the implementation of a revised air transport support system. A key factor is the decision by the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra regional council to reduce its annual subsidy for air transport from 53 million dirhams to 10 million dirhams. This reduction, coupled with a 10.53 million dirham contribution from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, brings the total annual support down to 20.53 million dirhams.

Officials cite the growing activity at Hassan I Airport and high flight occupancy rates as reasons for the subsidy review. A new mechanism now calculates support based on the number of registered flights and occupancy rates. While this aims to reduce the financial burden on the regional budget and redirect funds to other development projects, its impact on ticket prices is a growing concern.

The price increase reopens the debate on the affordability of air travel for residents of the southern provinces, where flights are a crucial link to the rest of Morocco. A source familiar with the matter highlighted the challenge of balancing public subsidy rationalization and maintaining air connectivity with ensuring fares remain accessible to passengers.

This situation prompts a need for alternative solutions. These could include increasing air service offerings, attracting new airlines and routes, or reconsidering future subsidy mechanisms to ensure the continued dynamism of Laayoune's airport without making air travel an excessive burden on the local population.