HIBAPRESS
Two Ryanair flights to Marrakech in April 2026 witnessed widespread controversy after they departed without a large number of passengers, due to disruptions related to security checks and border control at French airports.
The first incident occurred on April 14, 2026, at Vatry Airport in northeastern France, where the plane took off for Marrakech without 192 passengers. Media reports, including the newspaper Le Figaro and the website La Dépêche, stated that the reason was the near-total absence of security personnel in charge of passenger searches, due to strikes and sick leave, which led to the paralysis of the boarding process. As for the second incident, it was recorded on the night of Saturday 18 to Sunday 19 April 2026 at Marseille Provence Airport, where more than 80 passengers were left behind despite their presence inside the airport, due to their delay in long queues for passport control, resulting from a severe shortage of staff. Despite this, the flight took off for Marrakech at around 1:50 am, according to the airport administration, as reported by specialized media. This incident sparked a wave of widespread anger among the affected passengers, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of coordination and poor crisis management within the concerned airports. It also raised urgent questions about the limits of responsibility of airlines and airport administrations in ensuring the smooth movement of passengers.
