“Our aim is that the Spanish government withdraws the licence that it illegally issued to Ryanair,” Polisario offical Oubi Bachir stated.

Ryanair launched flights from Madrid and Lanzarote to Dakhla on 19 January 2025, presenting the city as part of Morocco. Dakhla is in Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that remains on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories and is largely occupied by Morocco.

The airline announced the routes in November 2024, calling Dakhla the thirteenth airport in its “Moroccan network” and thanking the Moroccan government for its “support and vision in securing this major investment”.

The flights raise questions about the legal basis for operating routes to the territory. In 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the EU–Morocco aviation agreement does not apply to Western Sahara, which is separate and distinct from Morocco. In January 2025, the European Commission confirmed that the agreement does not cover flights between EU member states and Western Sahara.

In November 2024, Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) asked Ryanair to explain its decision and its presentation of Dakhla as Moroccan. WSRW received no response.

The dispute has also reached Ireland. In October 2026, Ireland’s advertising watchdog issued a preliminary finding that Ryanair’s description of Dakhla as a “Moroccan adventure” was likely to mislead consumers.Morocco is trying to make Dakhla a hub for tourism in the territory.

Polisario’s legal action now challenges Spain’s authorisation of the flights, bringing renewed scrutiny to Ryanair’s operations in a territory whose international status remains unresolved. It was informed that more updates will be presented at an event in the European Parliament on 4 November