Morocco and China celebrated the resumption of direct flights from Casablanca to Beijing following a five-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beijing welcomed the inaugural flight on Tuesday at its Daxing International Airport at 11:55 a.m. local time, carrying 291 passengers from Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca. The return flight departed two hours later, at 1:55 p.m., with 271 passengers onboard.
Morocco’s ambassador to China Abdelkader El Ansari, journalists, and prominent Chinese and Moroccan figures attended the official ceremony to commemorate the flight, Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) reported.
Morocco’s carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) representative in China, Adil Khalloufi, highlighted the strategic significance of the route, calling it not just a convenient travel option but also a vital bridge for cultural and economic exchanges.
“This route opens a new chapter in the friendship and cooperation between our two countries,” Khalloufi told MAP, commending Morocco’s tourism appeal, including destinations such as Marrakech and the Sahara Desert, and noting the benefits for business travelers, the same source said.