Air France-KLM and Royal Air Maroc are intending to establish a maintenance joint venture in Morocco and are seeking regulatory approval from the European Commission.

The EC says that the joint venture will focus on Airbus A320 family aircraft, with an Air France spokesman confirming that maintenance will take place at two Moroccan centres.

"There is a project to co-operate in terms of line maintenance at Marrakech airport and also for some checks at Casablanca," he says.

Air France holds a 2.72% stake in Royal Air Maroc and the Moroccan Government said last year the airline would be privatised in 2009.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news