North Africa Trip: Royal Air Maroc vs Air France Business Class B787-9

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Planning a family trip to North Africa from Canada seemed straightforward enough. Multiple flight options existed. The challenge? Trying to secure three premium cabin award seats. Facing dynamic pricing and limited award availability, I employed a couple of strategies to make the booking a reality.

For the outbound journey, I booked us on Royal Air Maroc from Montreal (YUL) to Marrakech (RAK) via Casablanca (CMN). For the return, I booked us on Air France from Tunis (TUN) to Montreal (YUL) with a connection through Paris (CDG).

In this post, I cover how Royal Air Maroc compares to Air France for the long-haul business class segment on both airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9 – Booking

I flew on Royal Air Maroc ten years ago in economy for my first trip to Morocco. This time around, I was keen to fly them again, but in business class. They had recently updated their fleet with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Boeing 737 Max 8s. Our route was YUL-CMN-RAK.

Since Royal Air Maroc is part of Oneworld, several frequent flyer programs offer redemptions. Despite booking a year out, award seat availability was sparse. Both Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and American AAdvantage released only one seat each in the premium cabin.

I booked the first seat for 45,000 Atmos Rewards and $329.54 USD for taxes and fees. For the second seat, I booked it on AAdvantage for 57,500 miles and $91.21 CAD. While more miles were needed, what I love about AAdvantage is their low carrier fees.

For my seat, I couldn’t find any availability on any other partners like British Airways Avios. To resolve this dilemma, I decided to fly one day earlier and redeemed my Alaska Atmos Rewards for the booking. I wasn’t about to fly economy again on Air Maroc!

For the return, I wanted to fly on a different airline. I found three seats on Air France via Flying Blue for 61,000 miles + 417 CAD per person for the route TUN-CDG-YUL. Although flying into our home base in Ottawa would have been more convenient, no saver awards were available on that route for our dates.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9 – Cabin

Royal Air Maroc

Operating two versions, Royal Air Maroc’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is found on the Montreal-Casablanca route. I flew Version 2, which has a smaller, more intimate business cabin. It consists of four rows for a total of 16 reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 layout. All seats have direct aisle access.

Behind business class is a 28-seat premium economy cabin (2-3-2), followed by 276 economy seats (3-3-3). The key differentiator between V1 and V2 is the premium economy cabin, which is only available on V2. Additionally, the V1 business cabin has more seats, for a total of 26, also in a 1-2-1 layout. The other differentiator is the colour scheme of the cabin interior.

Stepping onboard, I was taken aback. Instead of the typical purple and beige palette Royal Air Maroc uses, the cabin had teal and black colour tones. It reminded me of a certain Canadian airline. Turns out, Royal Air Maroc had acquired two B787-9 originally built for WestJet after they cancelled their order.

If you fly on Royal Air Maroc’s V2, you can look forward to the WestJet interiors, which I find much more aesthetically pleasing. If you’re assigned the V1, expect Royal Air Maroc’s traditional purple and gold interior.

Air France

Air France’s Boeing 787-9 business cabin is larger, with eight rows and 30 reverse herringbone seats. Similar to Royal Air Maroc, it has a 1-2-1 seat configuration, ensuring everyone has direct aisle access. Another difference is that the premium economy cabin is smaller, totalling 21 seats, while economy holds 228 seats in the standard 3-3-3 layout.

The cabin colours reflect Air France’s livery, featuring navy blue seats with embossed logos in red, inside grey and white pods. Compared to Royal Air Maroc’s interior, the Air France cabin is showing its age.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9 – Seat 1K

Though both cabins are doorless, the seats do offer semi-privacy because of the pod design. However, the Royal Air Maroc pod offers more privacy. Single aisle seats (A and K) are angled towards the windows, while middle seats (D and F) are oriented towards each other.

For both flights, I selected 1K, a bulkhead window seat. Bulkhead seats have wider ottoman footrests. They are more comfortable for sleep compared to other seats with narrow footwells. The downside is that bulkhead seats in the front row are close to the galley and bathrooms, so it can be noisier than sitting further back.

Royal Air Maroc

Royal Air Maroc’s seat specs consist of 46” pitch with a 22” seat width. Most importantly, it fully reclines into a flatbed. I counted four storage compartments in varying sizes. The left armrest housed a small compartment, perfect for a water bottle.

Above, to the right of the seat is a flip-switch reading light that sat next to a slot holding the safety cards and menu. The right console included two enclosed compartments. The smaller of the two had a handy vanity mirror, while the larger one stored the In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) remote, power outlets, USB port and headphone jack.

When closed, the console surface is large enough to comfortably place a laptop. Another, smaller compartment was near the footwell. To the right of the seat, a small touchscreen controlled the seat recline, reading lights and overhead lighting settings. The hard product was definitely impressive, and it was very apparent that the cabin was brand new.

Air France

Although the configuration mirrored Royal Air Maroc’s, the differences were notable. The seat pitch was 42” with a seat width of 21”, slightly smaller than Royal Air Maroc and with less pitch. One positive aspect was the seat cushion providing head support.

Storage was very limited. There was only one small vertical slot in the right console for stowing a noise-cancelling headphone and a water bottle. The inside of the storage enclosure had a vanity mirror and an elastic restraint, suitable for storing phones or glasses.

Another distinction was that the left armrest had no storage compartment underneath, but did have a height-adjustment button. On the right side, the side console surface was much smaller, with no under storage. Just adjacent to it was the IFE remote tucked into the console. A universal power outlet and USB port were located beneath the tray table.

In the upper right next to the seat was the reading light. At the bottom near the footwell was a small slot storing the safety card. The buttons to control the seat recline options and the cabin light were easily within reach to the right of the seat. I noticed that the left armrest showed signs of wear.

Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9 – Bed and Amenities

Royal Air Maroc

Upon boarding, a pillow and a blanket were laid out on my seat. The off-white pillow with red trim was thin and provided little support. The lightweight purple blanket clashed with the teal WestJet interior. Most disappointing was the lack of a mattress topper.

The amenity kit came in a simple off-white cloth bag containing an eye mask, beige socks, a dental kit, and Aragon oil-infused skincare. These included a face cream, lip balm, hydrating face mist and hand cream. I loved the scent of the products. One thing that was missing was the slippers. A big letdown.

Luckily, cabin temperatures were kept cool, which was conducive to sleep. I adjusted the seat to lie-flat mode with a push of button and put on an eye mask. I was worried I wouldn’t get any sleep because a newborn was sitting in the middle aisle near me. The baby was mostly peaceful and didn’t cry until landing. What I didn’t expect was the heavy turbulence that started shortly after meal service. Due to the extent of the turbulence, I did not get much sleep.

Air France

Bedding was definitely superior with Air France. Each seat included a mattress topper by Sofitel MY BED, a firm navy pillow and a duvet. Slippers were also included. A hook allowed me to hang my jacket, and a crew member picked up my jacket and stored it in a closet. A nice touch.

The mattress topper made a difference and provided a comfortable bed when I adjusted the seat into lie-flat mode. The pillow had enough thickness and the bulkhead seat provided me with more legroom for comfort. I was able to get some sleep during my flight, despite being near the galley.

The amenity kit was a stylish navy blue pouch with a red interior. The contents included a pen, earplugs, socks, an eye mask, a dental kit and skincare products by Clarins (lip balm and eye contour). I definitely liked Air Maroc’s kit more, though the Air France pouch was chic.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9  – Entertainment and Connectivity

Royal Air Maroc

The 17.5” HD screen offered a diverse selection of films from Hollywood, Bollywood and other international films (Arabic, European and Asian cinema). While Hollywood new releases were limited, international options were plentiful. Other options included documentaries, cartoons, TV programs, games, music and a geo system displaying flight information.

A welcome surprise was that shortly after takeoff, they announced that they were offering complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi to celebrate its launch. A flight attendant handed me a card with the Wi-Fi password, providing decent-speed internet throughout my flight.

Air France

The 16” HD display was tucked to the side and was noticeably smaller. It could be adjusted with the push of a button to face the seat directly. The IFE included 42 new film releases, French cinema, and world selections (Arabic, African, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Bollywood).

They also had children’s programming, accessible movies, and documentaries.  Additionally, they offered programming from French media channel CANAL + and access to Apple TV. Other IFE options included games, music, and flight information.

Complimentary Wi-Fi was offered, but it was limited to text, with data packages available for purchase.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9  Meal Service

Royal Air Maroc

Service began with welcome drinks shortly after boarding, with the choice of orange juice or mint lemonade. Several days before my flight, I pre-ordered the beef tajine. To my surprise, the menu card provided during the flight was different, with no beef tajine option. Instead, I ordered the chicken tajine.

It took some time before the meal service actually started. First came a small plate of nuts, followed by a canapé that consisted of a fruit skewer of watermelon and cantaloupe, goat cheese on a cracker and a salmon wrap.

A while later, the flight attendant laid out a table cover and brought a tray with a bowl of butternut cream soup. The soup was a disappointment, not because of the flavour but because it was lukewarm. I requested that they heat it up. They brought it out again, and it still wasn’t hot, so I just gave up on it. She then brought out a basket of warm bread and butter, which was the highlight of the starter course.

Meal service continued in slow motion. My main course arrived, and it was a surprise. Instead of a chicken tajine, it was a breast of chicken with rosemary sauce. I found the chicken breast was slightly dry.

Following the main course, the flight attendant offered a cheese plate, but I skipped it and went directly for the lime and coconut tart. I found the tart to be overly sweet in contrast to the Moroccan tea, which was bitter and disappointingly lacked mint. She then offered me a chocolate caramel tart, but I politely declined as I was quite full.

For breakfast, the only hot option was an omelette with a side of chicken sausage. I decided to just have a plate of pastries along with apricot jam, yogurt with blueberries and cold butter accompanied by their bitter Moroccan green tea.

All in all, the meal service, especially dinner, moved at a slow pace. Though the crew was pleasantly hospitable and generous.

Air France

The pre-departure drink was a choice of champagne or juice. The tray table was pulled from the side console. Mine was wet, and it had a hair on it. The attendant cleaned it promptly after I requested it.

Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendant handed out the menu cards, followed by hot towels. One distinction with Air France’s meal service is that menus were curated by Michelin-starred chefs. Meal service started with a small appetizer of artichoke with goat cheese and packaged cheese biscuits. This was followed by a salad, pea, lemon and basil cream and a plate of smoked salmon filet. Bread was thankfully served warm.

For mains, I chose chicken with mushroom sauce, rice and asparagus. Like Air Maroc, the chicken was dry. On a positive note, the apps and dessert (crunchy gourmet chocolate cake) were exceptional. Drinks included French beers, wines, spirits and juices.

Pre-landing, they served a light orzo and red rice salad with pickled radish, and a small fruit plate of oranges and grapefruit slices. Snacks were also available on request. The meal service was definitely more refined than what I experienced on Royal Air Maroc. This wasn’t a surprise given that Air France prides itself on its catering service.

Royal Air Maroc vs Air France B787-9 – Service

The Royal Air Maroc crew were friendly and kind. I admittedly didn’t try conversing with them in Arabic, since I sometimes struggle to understand the Moroccan dialect, which is very different than my Palestinian dialect. The flight attendant was definitely more comfortable conversing in French, so I did my best. They were very generous, offering me additional dishes during meal service, showcasing Moroccan hospitality.

Air France’s service was professional but varied in warmth among crew members. I was feeling under the weather during my return flight, and ordered several cups of tea. They were always prompt, and one even brought me biscuits with my tea. After landing, a flight attendant proactively helped retrieve my carry-on luggage from the overhead bin.

Final Verdict

Royal Air Maroc’s Boeing 787-9 V2 offers a superior hard product compared to Air France. The cabin is newer, featuring a slightly wider seat with greater pitch, ample storage and a larger IFE display screen. The complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi was a welcome surprise.

In contrast, Air France’s B787-9 cabin is showing its age, with the seat visibly worn in some areas. Still, the bed amenities, especially the inclusion of a mattress topper, comfortable pillow and quality duvet, enhanced sleep comfort. Combined with the Michelin-starred catering that provided a more refined dining experience, I found these factors really tipped the scales in Air France’s favour.

While Royal Air Maroc offered a better hard product and connectivity, Air France’s superior bedding and meal service make it the overall winner.

If available on your route, try booking Air France’s newer Airbus 350-900 or the Boeing 777-300ER. These aircraft feature private suites with sliding doors. Just be mindful that Flying Blue award bookings come with higher taxes and fees. The airline has also recently introduced fees for business class seat selection during booking, unless you hold Flying Blue Platinum or Ultimate status.