Baggage handlers at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport went on strike this weekend. This caused flight and baggage delivery delays for the national airline company Royal Air Maroc (RAM), angering passengers at Morocco’s largest airport.
RAM denies responsibility for the delays, shifting blame on its subcontractor General Private Interim (GPI), the company responsible for RAM’s baggage handling services at Casablanca airport.
“A number of flights have been delayed and baggage delivery has also been delayed due to these untimely strikes that have continued through to Sunday,” RAM said in a press release. Flights were delayed “despite the intervention of airport authorities,” it added.
RAM’s reputation is however bearing the brunt of the strikes. Angry passengers expressed their frustration on Twitter.
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“[…] Get your services on the ground perfected, it has been 3 hrs waiting for the luggage on AT728 after waiting 1 hr to get off the plane #getyouracttogether #royalairmaroc look at your dissatisfied #passengers #visitmorocco,” tweeted one user.
RAM and its baggage handling subcontractor GPI have been butting heads since mid April over contract terms, each accusing the other of not respecting its obligations.
GPI accuses the airline of imposing additional work on baggage handlers without fair remuneration and baggage handlers want a pay rise to reflect what they feel is an increased workload. RAM accuses GPI of breaching the contract by intentionally slowing down its baggage handling services and causing flight delays.
The strike this weekend shows the companies have not resolved their disagreements since the two strikes by GPI in April. Any more strikes will put pressure on RAM, especially as peak summer travel season approaches.
