Royal Air Maroc is officially Oneworld's newest member
Royal Air Maroc joined the Oneworld alliance on Tuesday, the culmination of a nearly two-year process will see it become the alliance's only African member.
The Moroccan carrier's membership was effective April 1, confirmed Oneworld spokesperson Ghim-Lay Yeo. The airline adds around 34 destinations, primarily in Africa, to the alliance's network.
Royal Air Maroc's entry into the alliance came with little fanfare amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The carrier has suspended all international flights due to the virus with some domestic flights in Morocco still operating.
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However, Royal Air Maroc has already forged ties with some Oneworld members. The carrier and American Airlines launched a codeshare in December, and it has partnerships in place with Qatar Airways and S7 Airlines.
For U.S. flyers, the entry of Royal Air Maroc into Oneworld solidifies mileage-earning opportunities with American — both for redeemable miles and for elite-qualifying status.
More: You can now earn and redeem AAdvantage miles on Royal Air Maroc flights
American was due to begin seasonal service to Royal Air Maroc's Casablanca (CMN) hub on June 4. However, the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is slashing international capacity by 90% in May and postponing many planned seasonal routes due to the impact of COVID-19.
Nichelle Tait, a spokesperson for American, says the airline is still evaluating its summer schedules.
If American launches its Casablanca flight as planned, passengers will be able to connect onward to numerous Royal Air Maroc destinations in Africa. Codeshare cities are due to include Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (ABJ), Lagos, Nigeria (LOS), and Luanda, Angola (LAD).
Royal Air Maroc serves Boston (BOS), Miami (MIA), New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Washington Dulles (IAD) in the U.S., according to Cirium schedules.
Related: American Airlines and Royal Air Maroc plan Boxing Day codeshare launch
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