EasyJet Sparks Controversy Over Divided Map of Morocco

Doha – British low-cost carrier EasyJet has sparked controversy after publishing a map in its in-flight magazine that excludes Morocco’s southern provinces.

The airline, which operates multiple routes to Morocco, included the contentious map in its latest publication showcasing its 150 destinations.

The incident has triggered significant backlash from Moroccan tourism professionals and social media users, who have launched a campaign demanding that EasyJet immediately correct its map to show Morocco’s complete territory, describing EasyJet’s act as an “unacceptable error.”

Moroccan social media users have labeled the publication a “provocation” and a “malicious act,” describing the map as a “mutilated map” of the kingdom.

The controversy is particularly notable given EasyJet’s substantial presence in Morocco, where it maintains several direct flight connections. The British carrier, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and operates over 927 routes across more than 34 countries, currently maintains four connections with Morocco.

Tourism sector professionals have called upon Moroccan airport authorities to intervene and demand that EasyJet publish a complete map of Morocco.

Additionally, industry operators have emphasized that the airline’s significant benefits from Moroccan tourism make this cartographic oversight particularly concerning.

EasyJet, which employs approximately 13,000 people and operates through its affiliates EasyJet UK, EasyJet Switzerland, and EasyJet Europe, has yet to respond to the concerns raised by Moroccan stakeholders regarding the map’s publication.

The timing of this incident coincides with recent developments regarding Morocco’s territorial integrity, which garnered growing international support.

The international community has been endorsing Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan as a serious and credible solution to end the dispute.

Amid the controversy, UK MPs continue to urge their government to follow the lead of powers like the US, France, and Spain in recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.

Frequently referencing the US decision to acknowledge this sovereignty, the MPs argued for a similar stance from the UK government.

In May, more than 30 MPs and Peers penned a letter to the UK government, urging for the timely recognition of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most viable solution to the dispute.

However, despite these demands, the UK continues to express support for the UN-led political process and Morocco’s efforts without making a significant shift in its diplomatic position.

Political observers, including Moroccan analyst Samir Bennis, argue that the EasyJet controversy highlights broader diplomatic concerns. While calling for the airline to correct its cartographic error and issue an apology to Morocco, Bennis emphasizes that the focus should extend beyond corporate accountability.

“We should start placing more pressure on the British government to come clean and express a clear-cut, unambiguous position of support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal and the kingdom’s sovereignty over the territory,” Bennis stated on social media platform X.

The analyst points to historical precedents, noting that “Like France and Spain, the UK bears primary responsibility in the genesis and prolongation of the dispute.” He specifically references the March 1895 treaty with Morocco, where Britain had explicitly recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, before later shifting its position.

Bennis highlights the 1904 British-French agreement as a pivotal moment, arguing it “paved the way for the French-Spanish agreement” that followed six months later. This latter agreement, he notes, enabled Spain to establish influence in southern Morocco.

The analyst concludes that strengthening UK-Morocco economic and commercial partnerships requires Britain to “follow in the footsteps of the US, Spain, and France” regarding Morocco’s territorial integrity and autonomy proposal.

Safaa Kasraoui contributed to this story.