Morocco: RAM Rejects Allegations it lets Control of its Planes to Novice Pilots

A source from Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has flatly denied allegations that the Moroccan carrier lets control of its planes to novice pilots who pay money to get the flying hours required to be hired as experienced pilots.

The source’s reaction came after French France 3 TV aired on March 23 a program about the “pay to fly” common practice in the airline industry, and cited RAM among other world airlines that request big amount of money to let unexperienced pilots fly their planes, putting therefore the lives of their passengers at risk.

Pilots need to have at least 500-hour flying experience before they can be hired for long-distance flights.

The program showed a renowned consulting firm, captured by a hidden cameras, proposing a contract worth €62.500, to a pilot to get his 500-hour flying experience with RAM. According to the firm agent shown in the video, the would-be pilot would fly planes from Rabat to European destinations.

RAM source told a local media the carrier will lodge a lawsuit against the firm which it has never worked with.

The source however conceded that RAM accepts applications of some novice pilots who pay money to work with flight crews but not to fly the planes. “Pilots go through an evaluation before they join crews. Even better, they take intensive training courses,” the source said, insisting that the apprentices are never given control of the plane, nor are they even enrolled as co-pilots. They are merely crew attendants.