Member of the oneworld alliance: What advantage does Royal Air Maroc offer to its travelers?
Moroccan company RAM joins Oneworld alliance
After a two-year process, on April 1, the company joined Oneworld. Royal Air Maroc has become the alliance’s first African airline.
Likewise, the African airline already had a codeshare agreement with some airlines in the Oneworld alliance. In December, it launched a codeshare with American Airlines and also entered into partnerships with Iberia, Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways and S7 Airlines.
Royal Air Maroc’s loyalty program, Safar Flyer, has more than one million members who will be able to earn and redeem miles through the OneWorld network. Elite Alliance partners will be able to access business and first class lounges, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority security checkpoints.
The Royal Air Maroc network includes 103 destinations in 51 countries
The airline has experienced rapid growth in recent years aided by Moroccan tourism, which has prompted it to reach South America today with connections to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fleet includes six ATR 72-600, two B737-700, 31 B737-800, two B767-300ER, five B787-8, four B787-9 and four Embraer 190.
With this entry, Africa already has representatives in the three major alliances. Star Alliance has three airlines: Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways, while Sky Team only owns Kenya Airways.
The Moroccan national carrier is the 14th member of the Oneworld alliance, after American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines (plus Fiji Airways as a Connect Partner, and 30 associate members). Royal Air Maroc is also becoming its first full member on the African continent (and its first new full member since 2014). The arrival “follows a 15-month implementation program” aimed at integrating AMR, a statement from the alliance said; its regional subsidiary RAM Express also joins the group as an affiliate member. Royal Air Maroc was first announced as an elected member of Oneworld in New York in December 2018, weeks before the alliance celebrated its 20th anniversary and launched its transformation.
RAM is adding 39 new destinations in 23 countries to the Oneworld network, providing “more flights and options for frequent flyers of alliance member airlines.” The Moroccan national company links its base in Casablanca to more than 100 destinations in more than 50 countries in six regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America and South America), including Oneworld hubs in Amman, Doha , London-Heathrow, Madrid, Miami, Moscow-Domodedovo (where the alliance will open its first lounge) and New York-JFK.
Oneworld frequent flyers benefit from the full range of alliance benefits and services when traveling with Royal Air Maroc; and the more than one million members of RAM’s Safar Flyer loyalty program can earn and redeem rewards on all member airlines.
Flights operated by Royal Air Maroc are available under Oneworld Explorer and Global Explorer fares. Recall that the Moroccan company already shares its codes with American Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, “and other partnerships are expected in the coming months”.