Royal Air Maroc 787-9 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
The Boeing 787-9 carries Royal Air Maroc's best long-haul product: Collins Super Diamond business seats in a 1-2-1 layout where every passenger has direct aisle access. If you have a choice between the 787-9 and the older 787-8 on the same route, take the 787-9.
But the aircraft type alone doesn't tell you what you're getting. Royal Air Maroc's 787-9s are split across two very different cabins, and picking the right one matters more than picking the right seat.
Quick Verdict
- Configurations: two — 26J/276M (Version 1) or 16J/28W/276M (Version 2, ex-WestJet)
- Layout: Business 1-2-1 · premium cabin 2-3-2 (Version 2 only) · Economy 3-3-3
- Best seats overall: 7A / 7K on Version 2 — 38in pitch at an economy fare
- Best in Business: 1A / 1K on either version — bulkhead suites with the deepest footwell
- Best in Economy: 29C / 29H (V1) or 26C / 26H (V2) — exit row aisles
- Avoid: Row 26 (V1) and row 24 (V2) — whole rows backed onto lavatories
- Wifi: Version 2 only (Panasonic Ku-band, 10–40 Mbps). Version 1 has none
The Version Lottery: Two Completely Different Aircraft
Royal Air Maroc's 787-9s are not interchangeable. Book the wrong one and you lose wifi, a bigger screen, and — most importantly — the chance at a 38-inch-pitch recliner for the price of a standard economy ticket.
Version 1 — the original RAM cabin (302 seats)
- 26 Business seats, rows 1–7, 1-2-1 reverse herringbone
- 276 Economy seats, rows 10–43, 3-3-3
- Thales entertainment: 17.5in in Business, 8.9in in Economy
- No wifi
Row 7 is unusual — a 1-0-1 pair, just 7A and 7K, with no centre seats. 7A is a quiet solo corner; avoid 7K, which has a lavatory immediately behind it. Economy skips rows 13 and 27 entirely.
Version 2 — the ex-WestJet cabin (320 seats)
- 16 Business seats, rows 1–4, same Super Diamond product
- 28 seats in a former Premium Economy cabin, rows 5–8, 2-3-2 — sold as ordinary Economy
- 276 Economy seats, rows 9–40, 3-3-3
- Panasonic eX3: 18.5in in Business, 13.3in in the premium cabin, 11.6in in Economy
- Panasonic Ku-band wifi
Registrations include CN-RHA and CN-RHB.
Which is better?
If you're flying Economy, Version 2 wins outright. Rows 5 to 8 are genuine premium economy recliners: 38in pitch, 18.7in wide, 6in of recline, 13.3in screen. Royal Air Maroc has declassified the cabin, so those seats sit in ordinary economy inventory — around seven extra inches of legroom over the 31in you get from row 9 back, at no fare premium. Each aircraft has only 28 of them, so check seat selection the moment your booking opens.
If you're flying Business, it's closer. The seat is identical on both versions — 46in pitch, 21in width, fully flat. Version 2 gives a bigger screen and wifi in a 16-seat cabin; Version 1 gives a 26-seat cabin with a better spread of well-aligned windows and no connectivity at all.
Business Class
Both versions: Collins Aerospace Super Diamond, reverse herringbone, 1-2-1. Every seat has direct aisle access. A and K angle outboard toward the windows; D and F face inboard toward each other. 46in pitch, 21in width, converting to a 6ft 7in fully flat bed. 110V AC and USB-A, no privacy doors, no bluetooth pairing, no personal air vent.
Version 1 — rows 1 to 7 (26 seats)
Best picks
- 1A / 1K — bulkhead suites; footwells extend beneath the storage module for the most foot room in the cabin
- 2A/2K, 3A/3K, 4A/4K — window suites with clean alignment and no lavatory or galley nearby
- 1D/1F through 4D/4F — centre pairs, best for couples, with a retractable partition
Seats to avoid
- 7K — lavatory immediately behind: noise, odours and a queue at your shoulder
- 5A/5K, 6A/6K — poor window alignment
Worth knowing: there are no overhead bins above 1D/1F and 2D/2F — the crew rest compartment sits above. Pick row 3 or 4 if you want your bag directly overhead.
Version 2 — rows 1 to 4 (16 seats)
Best picks
- 1A / 1K and 2A — the best window alignment in the cabin
- 1D/1F, 2D/2F — centre pairs for couples
- Every seat rates well: with four rows there's no lavatory or galley pressure on any row
Trade-off: 16 seats means award space is scarce and upgrade odds are worse. Version 1 has ten more seats to sell.
The Premium Cabin Sold as Economy (Version 2 only)
Rows 5 to 8 · 28 seats · 2-3-2 · 38in pitch · 18.7in width · 6in recline · 13.3in screen. These are Collins MiQ premium economy recliners inherited from the aircraft's previous operator. Royal Air Maroc doesn't sell a premium economy product, so the whole cabin has been folded into economy inventory. Seat letters run A · C | D · E · F | H · K, so window pairs have no middle seat.
Best picks
- 7A / 7K — 38in pitch, properly aligned window, no bulkhead compromises. The best seat you can buy with an economy fare on this aircraft
- 6C / 6H — forward aisles at 38in pitch, no lavatory nearby
- 7C / 7H — same aisle advantage one row back
Seats to avoid
- 5A / 5K — the window sits behind the seat, so you lean back to see out, and the bulkhead leaves no underseat storage
- 6A/6K, 8A/8K — the window sits behind the seat
- 8D / 8E / 8F — galley directly behind: noise and light on every service
- 5E, 6E, 7E, 8E — centre middles; still 38in, but boxed in
Worth knowing: row 5 is the bulkhead — extra legroom, but no underseat storage, and at 5C and 5H the wall is almost solid, so the extra room is mostly to one side. Row 6 or 7 is the better buy if you want a bag at your feet.
Economy
Both versions: 276 seats, 3-3-3, 31in pitch, 17.1in width. Letters run A · B · C | D · E · F | H · J · K; middles are B, E and J. 110V AC and USB-A at every seat. Version 1 uses an older seat with 3in recline and an 8.9in screen; Version 2 uses Recaro CL3710 slimlines with 6in recline and an 11.6in screen.
Version 1 — rows 10 to 43
Best picks
- 29C / 29H — exit row aisles at doors 3L/3R: extra legroom with no door in the way, though the tray folds out of the armrest and there is no underseat storage
- 30A / 30K — perfectly aligned window right behind the exit row
- 33K — another well-aligned window with nothing against it
- 10H — pick of the bulkhead row: 28in to the wall and a partial bulkhead on the left
- 10C — bulkhead aisle with extra room on the right
Seats to avoid
- Row 26 — all nine seats. Lavatories run behind the full width of the cabin
- Row 25 (A/B/C and H/J/K) — same lavatory bank, one row forward
- 28D / 28E / 28F — stranded centre block with lavatories ahead, no underseat storage
- 40A / 40K — misaligned window: it sits behind the seat, so you lean back to see out
- Row 43 (43A/43C/43D/43E/43F) and 42D / 42E / 42F — the last rows, with the rear lavatory immediately behind
- 29A / 29K — exit row, but door 3 curves into the legroom from about 30–35cm (12–14in) ahead, so your legs go out at an angle, and the window sits behind the seat
Worth knowing: rows 13 and 27 don't exist. The cabin narrows at the back — row 42 is 2-3-2 (no B or J) and row 43 is 2-3 with no right-hand pair. Bassinets are at 10B, 10E and 10J.
Version 2 — rows 9 to 40
Best picks
- 26C / 26H — exit row aisles at doors 3L/3R
- 28A/28K, 31A/31K, 34A/34K — the three rows with perfect window alignment
- 10D / 10F — forward aisles clear of the lavatory queue on the A and K sides of rows 9–10
Seats to avoid
- Row 24 — all nine seats. Lavatories directly behind the full cabin width
- Row 23 (A/B/C and H/J/K) — same lavatory bank, one row forward
- Row 9 (A/B/C and H/J/K) — bulkhead legroom, but the forward lavatory queue forms at your seat
- 25D / 25E / 25F — stranded centre block, lavatories ahead
- 26A / 26K — no usable window: the glass sits well behind the seat. At 26A door 3 extends across about 85% of the seat width; at 26K it curves into the legroom
- 37A / 37K — no window, solid wall
- Rows 39 and 40 — no recline, lavatories behind
Worth knowing: row numbering is continuous, unlike Version 1. Rows 25 and 40 are 0-3-0 centre-block-only rows squeezed against lavatory banks, and bassinets are at 9B, 9D, 9F and 9J. Row 9 is the first economy row, but rows 5 to 8 sit ahead of it at 38in pitch for the same fare — always check those first.
Cabin Features Compared
| Version 1 (26J/276M) | Version 2 (16J/28W/276M) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 302 | 320 |
| Business | 26, rows 1–7 | 16, rows 1–4 |
| Business screen | 17.5in | 18.5in |
| Premium cabin | None | 28 seats, rows 5–8, 2-3-2, 38in pitch |
| Economy | 276, rows 10–43 (13 and 27 skipped) | 276, rows 9–40 |
| Economy recline / screen | 3in · 8.9in | 6in · 11.6in |
| Wifi | None | Panasonic Ku-band, 10–40 Mbps |
FAQ
Which Royal Air Maroc 787-9 has the best economy seats?
Version 2, the ex-WestJet aircraft. Rows 5 to 8 are former premium economy recliners at 38in pitch, 18.7in width and 6in recline, sold at ordinary economy fares — roughly seven inches more legroom for no extra money. Each aircraft has only 28 of them, so select early.
Does Royal Air Maroc's 787-9 have wifi?
Only on Version 2 — the ex-WestJet aircraft carry Panasonic Ku-band wifi at roughly 10–40 Mbps. The original Version 1 aircraft have no connectivity at all.
What are the best Business Class seats?
1A and 1K on either version: bulkhead suites whose footwells extend beneath the storage module. All Business seats have direct aisle access. Avoid 7K on Version 1 — a lavatory sits immediately behind it.
Which seats should I avoid?
On Version 1: the entire row 26, the stranded centre block at 28D/28E/28F, and row 43. On Version 2: the entire row 24, row 9's window and aisle blocks, and 26A/26K. On Version 2, 37A/37K face a solid wall with no window at all. Version 1 has no windowless seat, though 40A/40K have the window set behind them.
Is the exit row worth it?
Partly. Take the aisles — 29C/29H on Version 1, 26C/26H on Version 2. Skip the window seats in the same row. On Version 1, door 3 curves into the legroom of 29A/29K from about a foot ahead. On Version 2, the door takes about 85% of 26A’s width and curves into 26K’s legroom, and neither seat has a usable window.
Why do the seat numbers jump?
On Version 1, rows 13 and 27 are not used — row 27 falls where the mid-cabin lavatory and galley complex sits. Version 2 numbers continuously from 1 to 40, which is the quickest way to tell the two apart.
Is the 787-9 better than the 787-8?
Yes, clearly, in Business. The 787-9 uses Collins Super Diamond 1-2-1 with direct aisle access for everyone. The 787-8's Business cabin is older and denser, 2-2-2, and window passengers climb past a neighbour. One 787-8 also carries a rare four-seat front cabin. The two types swap on the same routes, so check your seat map: our Royal Air Maroc 787-8 guide shows how to tell them apart.
Are there lie-flat beds in Business?
Yes — the Super Diamond converts to a 6ft 7in fully flat bed on both versions. Some travellers report a noticeable gap where the seat folds flat and no mattress topper, so ask for spare blankets if you sleep lightly.