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# WESTERN SAHARA: Smara Airport to be Upgraded to Accomodate Larger Aircraft
- URL: https://insideaviation.news/western-sahara-smara-airport-to-be-upgraded-to-accomodate-larger-aircraft/
- Published: 2026-10-06T11:43:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-06T11:43:35.000Z
- Description: LAAYOUNE, Western Sahara The Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra regional council approved in principle its participation in a partnership convention to upgrade Es-Semara airport. The project will adapt the runway, taxiway and parking areas to receive Boeing and Airbus medium-haul aircraft.
- Author: Inside Aviation News
- Tags: Western Sahara, Royal Air Maroc, airport, Infrastructure, Smara, Morocco

LAAYOUNE, Western Sahara

- The Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra regional council approved in principle its participation in a partnership to upgrade Smara airport. Smara is the region's second largest city after the capital Laâyoune.
- The project will adapt the runway, taxiway and parking areas to receive Boeing and Airbus medium-haul aircraft.
- At present, Smara features a single 3,000 metre-long runway, 16/34, and is connected to Casablanca by RAM Express using an ATR72-600.
- The upgrade responds to demand for Royal Air Maroc domestic services launched in November.

**Sources:**

- [Mapnews](https://mapnews.ma/fr/actualites/r%C3%A9gional/la%C3%A2youne-sakia-el-hamra-le-conseil-r%C3%A9gional-adopte-son-projet-de-budget-2027?ref=insideaviation.news)