ONDA to Ryanair: There is no monopoly of handling services in Morocco

Ryanair said it had no choice but to cancel some flights because ONDA had "reneged on its commitments by imposing a limited monopoly for the management of ground operations, which would have resulted in a sharp increase in costs for the airline."

ONDA said in a statement that there have been no monopoly handling company in Morocco since 2004, when the liberalization process of the handling activity began. In this context, relations between ONDA and Handlers are governed by the laws and regulations that set the conditions for providing ground handling services.

ONDA explained that "the open tender for selection and international operators handling resulted in 2012 in the selection of two operators, with reference to the international dimension."

The Board notes that this structuring of the handling activity revolves around three main principles:

- The Establishment of competition at all airports: There is today two handlers in North and South 2 (RAM Handling and Swissport), and 3 handlers in Casablanca (Globalia RAM Handling and Swissport );

- The establishment of an optimum quality of service which meets the highest international standards and measured by specific indicators;

- Improving financial attractiveness guaranteeing for airlines ground handling services at all price ceilings and very competitive in the concession agreement between the ONDA and handlers.

In response to Ryanair deputy chief, Micheal Cawley, who said in a statement that "It is completely unacceptable that the ONDA increases transaction costs of Ryanair to Morocco and unrealistic to expect a growth business in this environment." ONDA states that "the pricing of handling services are not the responsibility of the ONDA which has no authority to interfere in trade negotiations between airlines and handlers. As mentioned in the the point above, only a price ceiling may be fixed in order to secure the airlines."

ONDA said it had always been a major player in support of the Moroccan government policies to assist and encourage airlines to serve Moroccan platforms, through the best quality and cost.

ONDA cocluded its statement by inviting all airlines to continue to be part of the regulatory process initiated by the Moroccan government as part of its policy of liberalization of ground handling activities while improving the quality of service provided to passengers.