- The Polisario Front opened a legal case against Spanish authorities over Ryanair Dakhla routes.
- The case seeks withdrawal of the operating licence and flight authorisations.
- Ryanair began Madrid and Lanzarote to Dakhla flights in January 2025.
- The Polisario Front cites a 2018 CJEU ruling on Western Sahara.
- Further updates are due at the European Parliament on 4 November 2026.
The Polisario Front has opened a legal case in Spanish courts against the Spanish government seeking withdrawal of the operating licence and flight authorisations granted to Ryanair for routes to Dakhla in Western Sahara. The case was revealed at a press conference in Madrid on 26 October 2026. The routes operate from Madrid and Lanzarote.
The Polisario Front argues that international law does not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. It cited a 2018 Court of Justice of the European Union ruling that the EU Morocco aviation agreement does not apply to Western Sahara. The European Commission confirmed in January 2025 that the agreement does not cover flights between EU member states and Western Sahara.
Ryanair launched the flights on 19 January 2025 and presented Dakhla as part of its Moroccan network. The Polisario Front seeks withdrawal of the Spanish authorisation. Further updates are due at an event in the European Parliament on 4 November 2026.
Oubi Bachir shared “Our aim is that the Spanish government withdraws the licence that it illegally issued to Ryanair.”
