The inaugural flight of Israir Airlines scheduled to connect Tel Aviv and Marrakech faced an unexpected delay today, as it failed to take off at the appointed time. This flight was eagerly anticipated as it would have marked the first direct air service between the two cities in over three years.

According to reports from the local newspaper, Code, the delay was attributed to incomplete licensing procedures from the Moroccan authorities. The flight was supposed to depart from Tel Aviv at 6 PM local time and was expected to arrive in Marrakech around 11 PM Moroccan time. Over 200 passengers, comprising Moroccan-Israeli travelers, had secured their seats on this flight, which was intended to signal the resumption of direct air travel between Tel Aviv and Marrakech after a lengthy hiatus.

This flight was set to be a significant milestone, representing the first return of direct flights between the two cities following their suspension for more than three years. Unfortunately, the departure was hindered due to ongoing waits for Moroccan licensing approvals. Reports indicate that the Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdel Samad Guioh, is associated with this matter.

As per the available details reported by Code, the approval from the Directorate of Air Transport (DTA) had not yet been finalized, which impeded the aircraft from taking off at the scheduled time. A traveler shared updates with acquaintances, mentioning that the arrival of Israir's inaugural flight from Tel Aviv was programmed for today at 11 PM, according to the schedule circulated by MSC, while emphasizing that the DTA's licensing is still pending.

The flight's delay comes at a time when it was anticipated to represent the first direct service between Tel Aviv and Marrakech after more than three years of interruption, coinciding with the renewed relations between Morocco and Israel as part of the Abraham Accords.

As of now, the reasons behind the incomplete licensing remain unclear, and further clarifications are awaited from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics along with the relevant authorities regarding the fate of the flight and the timeline for resuming this air route.

As reported by telegraphe.ma.