Resumption of Direct Flights Between Israel and Marrakech
The direct air link between Israel and Marrakech is now operational once again. On August 19, Arkia, an Israeli airline, conducted its inaugural flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Marrakech Menara, marking the end of nearly three years without this direct service. The announcement of the resumed service was made early in the day by Israeli news channel N12 and later confirmed by various aviation sources. The inaugural flight, designated IZ25, was scheduled to depart Tel Aviv at 1:00 PM but took off at 1:59 PM according to flight tracking data.
Flight Details and Future Plans
For this initial flight, Arkia utilized an Airbus A321-251NX, registered as 4X-AGH. The aircraft set its course for Marrakech, with an expected arrival time of around 5:17 PM Moroccan time. This development contradicted earlier reports that had mentioned the use of an Airbus A320 for this route. The flight is anticipated to take approximately six hours and fifteen minutes, covering a distance close to 4,000 kilometers. Arkia initially announced in early July that regular flights to Marrakech would resume on August 24, but they advanced the first departure to August 19.
Arkia plans to operate two flights per week between Ben Gurion and Marrakech, scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays, with tickets priced starting from $299 for a one-way trip. This resumption reinstates a direct connection that had been suspended in the fall of 2023 due to security concerns linked to regional conflicts. Prior to this interruption, travelers wishing to fly directly between the two nations were forced to choose routes with layovers. The direct air connection was established following the normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco and was included in official Israeli statistics for 2021 and 2022. For Israeli passport holders, entry into Morocco requires prior visa approval.
As reported by lebrief.ma.
