Airlines flying between London and Morocco are engaged in an aggressive fares war because of record numbers of flights between the two countries.

Thomsonfly today cut fares to £38 return in response to yesterday’s announcement from Ryanair that it is starting new Morocco flights. “We have slashed our fares to hit back at Ryanair, which will also be flying to Marrakesh out of Luton,” a spokeswoman told Times Online Travel.

The news from Ryanair comes just days after GB Airways signalled its intention to boost Morocco services and two weeks after easyJet launched flights to the North African country.

According to flight information provider, OAG, there were around 39 flights a week between London airports and Marrakesh before easyJet’s launch, - once Ryanair and Thomsonfly get onboard there will be 99 flights a week between the two cities.

Until July this year two airline groups enjoyed a monopoly over flights between the UK and Morocco – British Airways and Royal Air Maroc, with fares averaging more than £200 return.

In 2004 Royal Air Maroc launched a no-frills airline, Atlas Blue, which operates alongside the parent airline - and now BA franchise carrier GB Airways intends to boost flights to a record 32 per week between London and Morocco from the end of October, with services to Marrakesh, Fez, Agadir and Casablanca.

Ryanair’s flights will operate from Luton to Fez and Marrakech from October 31, with fares from £40 return including taxes and charges.

The surge in UK-Morocco flights follows a decision by EU and Moroccan authorities to relax airspace regulations and allow any EU registered airline to operate between the EU and Morocco.

Need to know

www.ba.com
www.gbairways.com
www.royalairmaroc.com
www.atlas-blue.com
www.easyjet.com
www.ryanair.com
www.thomsonfly.com

Times recommends

• The world's 10 weirdest things to eat
• Correspondents: hoteliers revenge for Tripadvisor
• A slow, ponderous journey up the Mekong