I wanted to check please, is it possible for an airline based in Europe to launch routes from Algeria to Morocco with passengers?
My understanding was that it couldn't happen as international routes outside of Europe had to be made from the country where the holding is established. :wacko:
It is critical to note, however, that this rule does not apply to flights which either begin or end outside the European Union - any such flights must either begin or end in the country in which the airline's holding is based.
You can’t transport passengers directly from one foreign country to another, but you can transport passengers via a stop or transfer in your home country.
If your holding is based in France, you can fly them from Algiers to Casablanca via Paris, but as both ALG and CMN are outside the EU, they can’t be routed ALG-LHR-CMN. As passengers would have a stop with your airline, an airline based in Algeria or Morocco offering a direct routing will have a higher ORS rating than you could get.
However, cargo flights don’t operate under the same rules, and can transport cargo directly.
So, this other airline that is running routes from Algeria to Morocco doesn't appear in the ORS but does appear to have bookings when I look at 'route management'. Some of their routes indicate 'fully booked' and others look o be bookable, which says to me that they are carrying fare paying passengers. How can this be, if they are an airline based in Europe?
I'm not trying to complain but just to understand how this is achievable.