The French airline Air France has exacerbated the difficulties faced by Algerian travelers wishing to visit Morocco by implementing new restrictions that prevent certain Algerians from boarding its flights to the Kingdom. This decision has drawn significant criticism within Algeria, as reported by the Algerian newspaper El Moudjahid. Since September 16, 2023, Air France has enforced a policy that prohibits Algerian passengers from traveling to Morocco unless they possess a valid Moroccan residence card.
According to El Moudjahid, several Algerian travelers were taken aback when they were barred from boarding flights to Morocco that included a layover in France. This has raised questions about the legal basis for such measures, with the newspaper asserting that Air France's actions represent a violation of regulations governing passenger travel. The publication criticized what it deemed a discriminatory practice targeting Algerian travelers exclusively.
Furthermore, the issue appears to be systematic rather than isolated, as the airline's directives are applied specifically to Algerian citizens flying to Morocco. This development is viewed as a more serious concern than merely preventing an individual traveler from boarding a flight. Recent reports from various Algerian media outlets have highlighted similar incidents, revealing that Air France has instructed its teams at airports in Algeria and Oran to verify the possession of a valid Moroccan residence card for Algerian travelers heading to Morocco, refusing boarding in cases of non-compliance.
El Moudjahid's critique of this practice emphasizes that airlines' powers concerning the verification of entry requirements should not devolve into a means of arbitrary treatment of travelers. While the newspaper condemns Air France's decision, it also subtly points to the underlying issue that forces thousands of Algerians to seek indirect flight routes to Morocco: the Algerian government's closure of its airspace to Moroccan flights.
In September 2021, Algeria announced the closure of its airspace to all Moroccan civilian and military aircraft, following a diplomatic rift with Rabat. The Algerian presidency attributed this decision to what it described as provocations and hostile actions emanating from Morocco. This closure, compounded by the continued closure of land borders between the two nations, has severely complicated travel between Algeria and Morocco, particularly for Algerians with familial, professional, or commercial ties to the Kingdom who require frequent travel.
Due to the absence of direct flights, many Algerian travelers have turned to third-country routes, particularly through Tunisia and France, before arriving in Morocco. This situation results in longer travel times and additional costs compared to direct travel between the two countries. The challenges intensify for Algerians with economic interests or business dealings in Morocco, as the journey now necessitates careful planning through a third country, incurring extra ticket expenses and additional transit times.
In this context, the measures implemented by Air France introduce another barrier for a segment of Algerian travelers, especially as transiting through France has become one of the available routes to Morocco. Notably, France offers the highest number of flights and connections to Morocco compared to Tunisia and other countries, further complicating the travel landscape for those affected.
As reported by assahifa.com.
