AT202 CMN-JFK

July 9th, 2022

Posts in this series:

Introduction - Surf & Turf From the Aegean Coast to the Saharan Desert

Review - Air Serbia Business Class A330-200 New York JFK to Belgrade

Review - Metropol Palace Belgrade, A Luxury Collection Hotel

Review - The Bodrum Edition

Review - The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul

Review - Turkish Airlines Business Class B737-8 Max Istanbul to Marrakech

Review - Amanjena

Review - Royal Air Maroc Business Class B787-8 Casablanca to New York JFK

Check-in:

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) joined oneworld alliance in 2020, so I was intrigued by the airline. Obviously we could’ve connected through Europe, but the convenience of a nonstop flight was unbeatable. I figured if they allowed RAM to join oneworld, it couldn’t be that bad?

We arrived at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in the wee hours before our 7am flight to JFK. Business class had its separate check-in counters, not that it would’ve made much difference given how early it was. We quickly checked in, and the fast track was right next to the business class counters.

We were stuck at passport control for a while, as there were only two officers, and they both took their time with each passenger. Once airside, we navigated ourselves to the Zenith Lounge. It wasn’t too easy to find as the signage was limited. I just remember we had to go downstairs from the concourse level.

Lounge:

Much like the rest of the terminal, the lounge was relatively modern.

The lounge spanned across two levels. The lower floor mostly consisted of some seating options. There were no amenities on this floor, and it felt like an overflow area.

Following the staircase to the upper floor was the rest of the lounge, with more seats, a buffet, a bar and some restrooms.

I don’t recall there being any hot options for breakfast, and looking at the pictures confirmed that. I found it funny that they were playing a YouTube “vintage cafe dinner series” playlist on TV, in case you didn’t pick up on the vibe.

We didn’t have too much time before it was time to board. The Zenith Lounge was serviceable. If you’re connecting via CMN, it’s a perfectly pleasant place to wait for your next flight. If you’re originating here, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it.

Boarding:

RAM operated both B787-8 and B787-9 on this route, and the experiences could be drastically different. We were flying the -8 variant, with business class in a 2-2-2 configuration. This was admittedly a rather unique product - RAM is the only airline with this seat type as far as I know. The -9 variant was equipped with the more common Collins SuperDiamond seats.

Upon boarding, I was escorted by the flight attendant to my seat, which I did not expect.

One complaint I read about the most prior to flying RAM was how the seats were at different heights. You can tell from the picture below that the foot cubby on the left tucked under the foot cubby on the right. This meant when the seats were in lie-flat position, one passenger would be “on top of” the other passenger. It is definitely not something I’ve seen in my limited travel😉.

I actually liked the cabin, I think? While that purple on the seats was, um, debatable? I thought the cabin overall looked sharp? The seats were clean and well maintained, and the welcome screen on the monitors added some nice color to the cabin.

Shortly after settling in we were offered a welcome beverage. RAM is not a dry airline, but no alcohol was provided on the ground. Not that I wanted any at 7am… I chose an apple juice.

Awaiting at my seat were a modest amenity kit and an equally unremarkable pair of headphones.

Before takeoff, a manual safety demonstration was performed. Interestingly RAM didn’t invest in a safety video, considering it operates a substantial fleet of Dreamliners.

In-flight:

On today’s flight, breakfast was provided first, then lunch was served prior to landing.

Breakfast cart was rolled out an hour into the flight, and everyone automatically received the same tray. No menu was ever distributed for the flight, so what you see is what you get.

Breakfast was underwhelming, so I didn’t really eat much of it.

Around two hours prior to landing, lunch service commenced with an apéritif from the bar cart. I asked for a Moroccan red wine.

An amuse-bouche plate was offered, but who stole the other half of my cherry tomato and shrimp?!

Appetizer and salad were presented on a tray. The smoked salmon was probably the best part of the meal.

For mains, the FA explained the options were chicken, fish or lamb. I chose the fish, while my partner had the lamb. Both dishes were visually unappealing and borderline inedible.

A variety of cheeses and desserts were available. They were fine.

After lunch, we slowly began our descent into JFK and flew over the Long Island coastline.

On Arrival:

Overall I think RAM was more or less what I expected - they have modern planes with decent seats. I didn’t realize how close Morocco is to the East Coast, as our flight was barely 7 hours. The service was on the friendlier side, which I guess was a little bit surprising to me. Everything else was completely forgettable. I’d probably fly RAM again if it is the best option available, but otherwise I don’t see myself having a whole lot to do with them.