By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-10-08 09:26:55 | Updated at 2026-10-08 11:37:22
2 hours ago
MOROCCO · AVIATION
Key Facts
- —The country North African kingdom whose national airline flies to four US cities.
- —What happened Royal Air Maroc will fit Starlink satellite Wi-Fi on 41 aircraft.
- —The timing Announced Wednesday, 7 October; installation starts in early 2027.
- —The players SpaceX’s Starlink supplies the service; Hamid Addou leads the airline.
- —What it means for you Safar Flyer loyalty members will get the Wi-Fi free of charge.
- —Still open Aircraft types, contract value and fares for non-members are undisclosed.
Morocco’s flag carrier says it will be the first African airline to offer SpaceX’s satellite internet on board.
Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national airline, will equip 41 of its aircraft with Starlink, the satellite internet service of US company SpaceX. The airline announced the Royal Air Maroc Starlink deal on Wednesday, 7 October, and said installation will begin in early 2027.
For American travellers, the move matters because the carrier flies from Casablanca to New York, Washington, Miami and Los Angeles. It will also make the Moroccan airline, by its own account, the first African carrier to offer Starlink on board.
What the Royal Air Maroc Starlink Deal Covers
The airline set out the plan in a statement carried by MAP, the official Moroccan news agency, on Wednesday afternoon. Médias24, a Moroccan business news site, published the same details from the airline’s press release.
Starlink will be installed on 41 aircraft, with a gradual rollout from early 2027 to keep flights running normally. The service will be free for all members of Safar Flyer, the airline’s loyalty programme.
Passengers will be able to stream video, send messages and work in real time, the airline said. Starlink relies on satellites in low Earth orbit, and the statement promised high-speed, low-latency service.
The statement did not say which aircraft types will receive the equipment. It also gave no contract value and no price for passengers outside the loyalty scheme.
Hamid Addou, the airline’s chairman and chief executive, said the agreement is part of a multi-year plan. That plan covers fleet renewal, new cabins and a wider overhaul of the customer experience.
In the French-language statement, he said the goal is a travel experience that meets “the most demanding international standards.” Lauren Dreyer, vice president of commercial operations for Starlink at SpaceX, said the decision marks an important step for aviation in Africa.
Royal Air Maroc says no other African airline offers Starlink on board yet. Ethiopian Airlines already offers onboard connectivity through a different satellite system, French travel site Ulysse reported in August.
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A Partnership First Reported in August
The partnership itself is not a complete surprise. In August, Ulysse reported, citing the newsletter Africa Intelligence, that the airline had signed with Starlink to equip its whole fleet.
That report said Royal Air Maroc first judged Starlink’s commercial offer too expensive before the two sides reached a compromise. Neither company has published the financial terms.
Wednesday’s statement confirms the partnership and puts numbers on it: 41 aircraft and a start in early 2027. It also speaks of a gradual ramp-up “across the whole fleet” without saying how that fits with the 41.
A Fast-Growing Fleet and a Long-Haul Push
Royal Air Maroc is growing quickly. Le360, a Moroccan news site, counted 68 aircraft in its fleet in mid-August, up from 57 a year earlier, using Planespotters data.
On that count, the 41 Starlink aircraft equal about three in five of the current fleet. The same report named Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Boeing 737-8 MAX jets among its aircraft.
Under a 2023 programme contract with the Moroccan government, the airline aims to operate 200 aircraft by 2037. The target also includes 143 international destinations and 31.6 million passengers a year.
Long-haul routes are central to that plan. On Sunday, 7 June, the airline opened a direct route from Casablanca to Los Angeles, Médias24 reported.
That flight takes about 12 hours and runs three times a week on Boeing 787 aircraft. On flights of that length, onboard internet is a selling point for business travellers.
Ulysse noted that the airline competes with European, Gulf and other African carriers. Those rivals fight for passengers on routes linking Europe, Morocco and West and Central Africa.
What It Means for US Readers
For travellers in the United States, the key question is whether the Dreamliners on US routes are among the 41 aircraft. The airline has not said, so passengers should not count on Wi-Fi on a given flight in 2027.
In June, Médias24 listed New York, Washington and Miami as existing routes from Casablanca, alongside the new Los Angeles service. It also reported that Boston is expected to return to the network, without giving a date.
For investors, the deal adds an African flag carrier to the airline clients of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The value is not public, so its financial weight cannot be judged.
The airline’s growth also matters for US manufacturers. Its fleet includes Boeing 787-9 and 737-8 MAX jets, and the 200-aircraft goal implies many more planes, bought or leased.
What Is Not Known
The airline has not said which aircraft types or routes will get Starlink first, or whether its US-bound Dreamliners are included. It has not published the value of the Royal Air Maroc Starlink contract or how it is financed.
Prices for passengers outside the Safar Flyer programme have not been announced. The statement did not give a date for the last of the 41 installations.
It is also unclear how the 41 aircraft relate to the whole fleet, which both the August report and the statement mention. Neither company has explained the difference.
What Comes Next
Installation is due to begin in early 2027 and expand gradually across the fleet. Royal Air Maroc said the gradual pace is meant to keep operations running without disruption.
The announcement does not mean Wi-Fi will be on every flight from the start of 2027. Travellers should check the aircraft assigned to their route once the rollout begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Royal Air Maroc announce?
It will equip 41 aircraft with Starlink satellite Wi-Fi from SpaceX. The rollout begins in early 2027.
Will the Wi-Fi be free?
It will be free for all members of Safar Flyer, the airline’s loyalty programme. Prices for other passengers have not been announced.
Will flights to the United States have Starlink?
The airline has not said which aircraft or routes will get it first. It flies from Casablanca to New York, Washington, Miami and Los Angeles.
Is Royal Air Maroc the first African airline with Starlink?
The airline says it will be the first African carrier to offer Starlink on board. Ethiopian Airlines already offers onboard connectivity through a different satellite system.
How much is the deal worth?
Neither Royal Air Maroc nor SpaceX has disclosed the value. An August report said the airline first found Starlink’s offer too expensive before a compromise.
Sources: Royal Air Maroc statement via MAP; Médias24, Starlink announcement; Médias24, Los Angeles route; Le360, African airline fleets; Ulysse, August report (all accessed 8 October 2026).
