Rabat – A routine Air Arabia flight from Milan to Casablanca descended into chaos on January 4, leaving passengers stranded for nearly 18 hours amid delays, fights, and tense confrontations at the airport.
According to eyewitness accounts obtained by Morocco World News (MWN), the flight, originally scheduled to depart at 1 a.m., was delayed after a technical error with one of Milan’s airport instruments caused widespread cancellations and postponements.
Passengers reported being left at the airport for hours without access to food or water, forcing many to sleep on the floor.
Frustration quickly escalated into confrontation. Videos shared by travelers show Moroccan passengers chanting, clapping, and gathering in front of the check-in desk to demand answers.
Some reportedly sat behind the desk, used employee chairs, and plugged in their phones despite repeated requests from airport security to leave the area.
Tensions boiled over when a physical altercation broke out between two Moroccan passengers, which quickly escalated into a clash between a Moroccan passenger and an Italian security officer.
Police intervened, assisted by a translator who had also been involved in earlier disputes. Armed military personnel later arrived to observe the situation.
Even after boarding, the turmoil did not subside. Passengers described multiple arguments between flight attendants and travelers during the flight, with at least one nearly turning physical.
Italian media crews and independent reporters documented the events, interviewing passengers about the conflicts that had unfolded.
“I’ve lived in Morocco for seven years and traveled through Moroccan airports at least 50 times,” one passenger told MWN. “This was by far the worst airport experience I’ve ever had.”
The flight finally departed Milan in the evening, roughly 17 hours behind schedule, with an additional hour-long delay before takeoff.
