On August 13, 2026, EasyJet proudly announced the establishment of its first operational base in Africa located in Marrakech, Morocco, where the airline has created approximately 100 local jobs. However, shortly after the launch, French unions disclosed that the base's initial operations heavily relied on cabin crew members flown in from France. The new base was officially opened on April 15, featuring three aircraft stationed in Marrakech. At that time, EasyJet highlighted this move as a significant milestone in its expansion strategy in Morocco, aiming for a record target of four million seats in its inaugural operational year.
Despite the optimistic presentation of the new base, reports suggest that the operational needs led to a greater reliance on external crew members than initially anticipated. According to Le Monde, French cabin crew unions have stated that the opening of the Marrakech base significantly depended on the availability of flight attendants and stewards from France.
Specifically, French crews have been dispatched to Morocco to meet staffing requirements, which the employees refer to as "trippings"—rotations that can lead a crew to work several consecutive days far from their home base. This reliance on foreign crew members coincides with EasyJet's strategic aim of making Marrakech a central hub in its Moroccan operations. As the second-largest airline in terms of capacity in this region, EasyJet now boasts 30 routes to and from Marrakech.
In an official announcement, the airline articulated that this new base would allow it to provide more flights year-round and expedite its expansion towards Europe. Although the substantial use of French crews raises questions about the number of local jobs created, EasyJet maintains that it has indeed recruited around a hundred individuals from the local community. Nevertheless, the early stages of this rapid expansion appear to have necessitated support from other European bases to fulfill a portion of its operational schedule.
As reported by bladi.net.
