Royal Air Maroc Adds 18th Boeing 737 MAX 8, Pushing Its Fleet to a Record 69 Aircraft

Marrakech – Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has taken delivery of a new Boeing 737 MAX 8, registered CN-RHR, raising the national carrier’s fleet to 69 aircraft. The plane arrived Thursday, August 27, in Casablanca, and it is the 18th 737 MAX 8 the airline has brought into service.

According to Moroccan outlet Le360, which first reported the delivery, the aircraft lifts the number of Boeing single-aisle jets operated by RAM to 45. The 737 MAX 8 now anchors the carrier’s medium-haul operations, and the fleet count includes planes flown by the regional subsidiary RAM Express.

RAM uses the type to manage high-density routes to Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East, while offering improved cabin comfort.

The delivery fits a wider expansion plan. “RAM’s development plan calls for integrating 10 to 15 aircraft per year on average,” Oussama El Farisi, the airline’s Head of Engineering, told Le360, adding that each aircraft passes through a rigorous technical process to meet international requirements and the company’s own standards.

That buildup traces back to the contract-program signed in July 2023 between the state and Royal Air Maroc. The agreement commits the carrier to quadruple its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037, while strengthening Casablanca as an air hub and widening its international network.

The latest arrival comes as Boeing works through production problems, supply-chain strain, and certification delays on parts of the MAX line. In July, Reuters reported that the manufacturer was nearing regulatory approval for a fix to the MAX engine anti-ice system, a change required before the delayed MAX 7 and MAX 10 can enter service.

For RAM, securing and speeding up deliveries has therefore carried added weight. Its management earlier persuaded Boeing to move two aircraft first scheduled for 2026 into 2025.

The intermediate deliveries bridge the gap until a much larger order lands. In April 2024, RAM launched a tender for up to 200 new aircraft and invited Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and ATR to compete.

In June 2025, Bloomberg reported that the Boeing portion could include up to 50 Boeing 737 jets for short and medium-haul routes, along with about 20 787 Dreamliners for long-haul flights, with first deliveries expected from 2028.

Until then, the carrier keeps adding capacity through leasing. Reuters noted in November 2025 that RAM planned to take on up to 13 leased aircraft per year while it awaits the main order, before reaching roughly 15 new deliveries annually from 2028.

This pace answers a fast-growing route map. In recent months, RAM has opened direct links to Beijing, São Paulo, Los Angeles, Saint Petersburg, Manchester, and N’Djamena.

The fleet growth also runs alongside other moves to modernize the passenger experience. Earlier this month, RAM became the first airline in Africa to sign with Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, concluding the contract on August 4 to equip its entire fleet with onboard Wi-Fi. The rollout will proceed in stages and reach full capacity in 2027.