Overall, I enjoyed my first-ever flight with Royal Air Maroc (RAM), the Moroccan flag carrier from Casablanca to Doha in Qatar, aboard a very comfortably laid out Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The experience, however, wasn’t One World standard.

RAM is owned by the Moroccan Government and is headquartered at Casablanca-Anfa Airport. They joined the One World alliance in 2020. I had planned to fly them that year, but obviously, I was grounded. Flying them means I have now been on flights with every One World carrier (existing and previous).

Booking

I used 42,000 American Airlines Advantage points for a Business Class seat. This was equivalent to $US630. AA charged me $US93.80 for fees and taxes on top of the points. RAM charges around $US2,000 for this sector. So, I believe getting the flight for less than half price was a great investment. The process of booking on the AA website was straightforward and fast. Choosing a seat was impossible on either the AA or the RAM websites, so I called American, who cheerfully helped me find a good window seat.

Check-In

I rode the train from Casa Port station to Casablanca airport. It was a great ride, but the service was completely full. The trains only run hourly, which seems insane. When the train arrived at the airport, passengers had to undergo a cursory security screening. I was one of the first passengers through, but a line soon formed as several hundred passengers went through a single screening point.

Business and One World Elite Check-in are available in a special dedicated red carpet section of the Royal Air Maroc check-in area. It wasn’t easy to find. Signposting was not brilliant through the airport.

My delight in flying RAM and using this special area was completely dashed by the worst premium check-in I have ever had. The check-in agent maintained a gossipy conversation in Arabic with the next-door agent. No welcome was addressed to me, and no check of my destination, seat, or meal preferences occurred. In fact, she didn’t look at me once or say anything to me until I asked where I went next. Even then, I only got a cursory mumbled “over there” with a vague pointing gesture.

The “over there” was a dedicated Fast track lane for Business Class passengers. Other passengers can pay for access. It worked pretty well.

Lounge

I was very warmly welcomed to the Royal Maroc Lounge. When the lounge agent found out it was my first time, he kindly offered to snap a picture of me. That was the highlight of my lounge experience.

Sad-looking rolls kept sad-looking hot savoury snacks company in an area as attractive as a hospital waiting room. The drinks were uninspiring except for the delicious mint tea.

As a One World member, this needs fixing.

Boarding

Boarding was by bus. It was a really nice touch to find that RAM Business Class passengers are delivered to the plane in a dedicated business class van. It was disappointing that the gate agent didn’t direct me to the said van. I literally happened to see a van labelled “Business Class” and showed my boarding pass to the driver who confirmed he would take me (and two other passengers) in his van straight to the plane in air conditioned comfort.

We were dropped at the front steps to board directly into the Business Cabin. But we then had a long wait before we were allowed to climb the stairs. Clearly, the plane had not been ready for passengers when we left the terminal. Another van brought more Business Class passengers and other Business passengers arrived in the main buses. Obviously, they had not been told about the option either.

I watched from my comfortable seat as the Economy class section got off their buses and boarded slowly. There appeared to be no order to the boarding and many families and older people were standing waiting in the Morocco heat to climb the stairs. I do not know if this situation is typical, but reading other reviews it seems too common. This could be improved.

The welcome by the crew was a delight. A welcome drink and amenity kit swiftly appeared, I felt a little more cheered.

The cabin decor on my 787-9 Dreamliner (registration CN-RAM) was elegantly designed with a warm and inviting colour scheme that created a cozy atmosphere. Royal Air Maroc’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner also features LED mood lighting and a sophisticated air filtration system that provides passengers with fresh, clean air.

We were counted -twice by a very well-built crew member who was clearly some sort of air marshall. As he counted, he appeared to carefully scrutinise the passengers.

On Board

There are 26 seats in Business Class and 276 in Economy on the RAM 787-9.

The Business Class lie-flat seats have a pitch of 80 inches and a width of 22 inches, providing a generous amount of space for passengers to sleep or work comfortably. The seats can recline to a fully flat position, allowing passengers to sleep well. They provided a good level of privacy.

Each seat features a personal entertainment screen with a very basic selection of movies, TV shows, and music to choose from. Compared to the Qatar Airways choice plying the same route, the range on RAM was very basic.

After a smooth take off, we were treated to stunning views of Casablanca. You can clearly see The Hassan II Mosque (مسجد الحسن الثاني ), Africa’s largest mosque. The port area is clearly visible, as is the Medina. I could also see my Novotel hotel, as well as the nearby Casa Port railway station that I had caught the train to the airport a few hours before!

The food served in Royal Air Maroc’s business class on my flight was mostly delicious, with a focus on Moroccan cuisine. Things started well with champagne, the delivery of a very impressive menu booklet and a wet towel:

The starter and then the appetiser were fabulous. The main tagine meal was mouthwatering, although I thought the presentation could have been better. The raspberry mousse dessert was a thoroughly underwhelming flop.

We landed at Doha a few minutes early, and I was through immigration and into a taxi for my hotel within 30 minutes of landing.

Overall Rating: 68%

Overall, the experience in Royal Air Maroc’s 787 business class was comfortable, with excellent crew service and good amenities. Anything under 70% from me for a Business Class flight is really low. I hope my Business Class check-in experience was an exception and not the rule, Boarding could be better but that lounge…

My ratings are:

• Booking: 9/10 
• Check-in: 3/10
• Boarding: 6/10
• Meals: 8/10
• Entertainment: 6/10
• Service: 8/10

Would I fly them again? Maybe. I won’t be rushing to fly.