Two destinies crossed. Two women's paths.
One, Zineb Amzil, is a fashion designer. The other, Fatima Zahra El Katib, works in air traffic control. The two women don't know each other but they share a place in common : Fez-Saïss airport. For Amzil, it is a frequent transit point as she grows her business. For El Katib, it is her daily workplace. Like the two women, the airport is open to the world.
Driven by her passion for fashion, Amzil creates caftans - ceremonial dresses that symbolize excellence in Morocco - that delight her clients, particularly in Europe. Amzil, the founder and director of a company called Duchesse Couture flies frequently to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels; she knows the corridors of Fez- Saïss well and praised their "fluid and pleasant" lines.
Indeed, from the first glance, the airport seduces travelers that enter its new terminal, which opened in 2017. Its large windows are reminiscent of elegant moucharabiehs, a blend of the ancient architecture of the Cherifian Kingdom and a more contemporary aesthetic. Here, the finely chiseled forms reveal the artisanship while the clean lines convey modernity.
In the control tower, which is in a more classical wing of the airport, El Katib keeps watch over the airspace. She is one of twelve air traffic controllers, divided into four teams, work day and night shifts at Fez-Saïss. She discovered the job "by accident", she said, smiling. "A friend at the university was always inviting me to apply, but it didn't mean anything to me at the time. A few years later, I passed the air traffic controller exam... And now, I am happy to be here!"
With its new terminal, Fez-Saïss can handle an additional 2.5 million passengers, which is needed to meet growing tourist traffic to Morocco's cultural city. Between 2016 and 2019, traffic there jumped by nearly 60%, from 890,000 to 1.4 million travelers. Flights to such destinations as Lyon, Frankfurt and London began in 2017, confirming the city's growing international importance.
"The expansion of the airport has increased traffic, and therefore the number of destinations served. Fez is a city that attracts a lot of tourists," El Katib enthused.
Along with Casablanca, Rabat and Agadir, Fez-Saïss is part of Morocco's efforts to become a regional hub linking Africa to the rest of the world. The African Development Bank has mobilized Ꞓ240 million to support projects launched by the National Airports Office (ONDA) to modernize Moroccan airport sites.
"Thanks to Fez airport, I can travel easily to different destinations, which allows me to meet new clients, go to fashion shows, export my clothes," explained Amzil, who had just returned from Paris, where she presented one of her wedding dresses in a client's home. "It is always a very important moment when I show the traditional caftan to a client and her family and I see them marvel at the masterpiece," she confided.
To enhance her collections, Amzil collaborates closely with local artisans, which she says are an important sector for the economy of Fez. Made with the traditional Zwak al mâallem technique (handmade with twisted and braided threads), her colorful caftans are made of silk chiffon and duchess satin, with gold and silver or silk threads for ornamentation.
Amzil draws inspiration from this cultural heritage. But, she added, "it is important to be open to the outside world, to find new ideas." ..Shortly afterward she boarded the last flight of the day to Paris, where she would attend a fashion show.
From the control tower El Katib gave the go-ahead for Amzil's flight to take off.
