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Rabat – While headlines focus on rising tensions across parts of the Middle East, Moroccan travel agencies that organize Umrah trips describe a different reality on the ground.
Their offices operate as usual, and direct flights from Morocco to Saudi Arabia continue without interruption, for both departures and returns.
In Casablanca, Hassan Alaoui, who manages a travel agency dedicated to Umrah services, said the reliance on nonstop routes to Jeddah and Medina has reduced exposure to regional airspace closures.
“We have not recorded any cancellations so far, including groups scheduled for Ramadan,” he told SNRTnews. “We monitor developments hour by hour, but all flights remain on schedule.”
According to Alaoui, the main source of concern involves flights that pass through intermediary airports in certain countries. Those routes remain more vulnerable to sudden changes if airspace restrictions expand. Agencies that depend on direct connections face fewer complications.
He also referred to a recent guide issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj, which outlines updated instructions and services for pilgrims. For professionals in the sector, such communication signals that Umrah operations continue under normal conditions.
In Rabat, travel operators share a similar assessment. Mohamed Idrissi, director of a local agency, said the sector shows caution rather than distress.
Some families have expressed hesitation in recent days, especially after certain countries in the region announced flight suspensions and as Royal Air Maroc (RAM) confirmed the continuation of cancellations on specific routes.
“Confirmed groups have not asked to cancel because of the security situation,” Idrissi he also told SNRTnews. He explained that his agency has prepared backup options, such as rescheduling departures or shifting indirect routes to direct ones if needed.
Clear communication with pilgrims remains central at this stage, he added.
Another agency manager in Rabat said most of her company’s packages rely on direct flights to Saudi Arabia. She confirmed that no official notification of operational disruption has reached her office.
However, she noted a slight slowdown in new reservations over the past few days, which she linked to uncertainty in regional news coverage.
On Monday, Royal Air Maroc announced the continuation of several flight cancellations due to the closure of parts of Middle Eastern airspace.
In a statement posted on its official account on X, the airline said it continues to monitor developments closely and will inform passengers of any updates in line with air safety standards.
For now, Moroccan Umrah agencies describe a sector that remains functional and organized.
Despite the tense regional context, pilgrims from Morocco continue their journeys to the holy sites without disruption.
