Safi Airport

The closure was driven by a combination of economic non-viability and urban encroachment. The airport suffered from low traffic volumes, making it unprofitable to maintain and operate. Concurrently, the city of Safi underwent rapid expansion, and residential and commercial developments grew up to the airport's boundaries. This made continued flight operations unsafe and impractical, and the land became more valuable for urban development projects.

The airport is permanently closed and the site is now defunct. Satellite imagery clearly shows the remnants of the X-shaped runway layout, but the pavement is severely degraded and unusable. The former airport grounds have been partially redeveloped as part of Safi's urban expansion. The area is now home to new residential districts (known locally as 'Hay Al Matar' - the Airport District), social housing projects, and other public infrastructure. The site is completely integrated into the urban fabric of the city and is not used for any aviation-related activities.

Safi Airport was originally an airfield dating back to the French protectorate era, serving a dual military and civilian role. After Morocco's independence, it handled limited domestic commercial flights, most notably operated by Royal Air Maroc, which connected the industrial port city of Safi with Casablanca. These routes were typically flown by smaller turboprop aircraft. The airport was also important for general aviation and business travel related to Safi's significant phosphate mining and chemical processing industries, managed by the OCP Group.

There are zero prospects for reopening the original Safi Airport due to the irreversible urban development on and around the site. However, there is a persistent and strong political and economic demand for a new airport to serve the Safi province. Local officials and business communities frequently advocate for a new facility to boost tourism, support the region's industrial base, and improve connectivity, as the nearest major airports in Marrakech (RAK) and Essaouira (ESU) are both over a two-hour drive away. Despite these ongoing discussions and parliamentary questions, there are currently no concrete, funded government plans to construct a new airport for Safi.