New Jordan link expands route network

An exciting new route will be added to London Stansted's departure boards next spring when Royal Jordanian Airlines launches flights to Amman, Jordan’s capital.

The flag carrier, a member of the oneworld Alliance which includes British Airways, will operate three flights a week starting March 3, 2024, increasing to four weekly flights during peak summer.

Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays using the airline’s new Airbus A320 neo fleet with one-way fares from London starting at £257.

The Stansted to Amman leg will depart mid-afternoon at 3.45pm and arrive at Queen Alia International Airport at 10.35pm.

Passengers can also use the route to transfer onto Royal Jordanian’s worldwide route network that connects Amman with destinations across the Middle East and Asia.

Royal Jordanian’s Chief Commercial Officer, Karim Makhlouf, said:  “Our new route to London Stansted will make it easier than ever for tourists from the UK to discover Jordan’s incredible wonders.

Promoting and driving tourism to the Kingdom is a key focus of our new corporate strategy—as is our emphasis on further developing Amman as the primary gateway to the Levant by offering improved connectivity to our broader network.

This new route is yet another step-in line with Royal Jordanian’s ambitious five-year growth plan, which includes increasing our current fleet of 24 aircraft to more than 40 aircraft in the coming three to five years.”

Royal Jordanian orders four 787-9 Dreamliner jets

Boeing and Royal Jordanian announced an order for four 787-9 Dreamliner jets as the airline expands and modernizes its widebody fleet. Jordan's flag carrier also reconfirmed at the Dubai Airshow a previous order for two 787-9s, bringing its total 787-9 backlog to six.

Boeing and Royal Jordanian announced an order for four 787-9 Dreamliner jets as the airline expands and modernizes its widebody fleet.

"Our decision to add the 787-9 Dreamliners to our fleet is a testament to our dedication to providing an unparalleled travel experience," said Samer Majali, vice chairman and CEO of Royal Jordanian. "This move aligns seamlessly with our broader strategy of fleet modernization, emphasizing fuel efficiency, sustainability and passenger comfort. As we embark on this journey, we are confident that the Dreamliner's cutting-edge technology will play a pivotal role in elevating our operational capabilities."

Building on Royal Jordanian's fleet of seven 787-8 aeroplanes, the addition of another member of the Dreamliner family will enable the airline to fly more passengers and cargo farther. The 787-9 can fly 296 passengers 14,010 km (7,565 nautical miles), building on routes first opened by the 787-8.

"Royal Jordanian, having been the first in the Middle East to order the 787 over 16 years ago, continues to lead in adopting advancements in aviation," said Majali. "The airline's current fleet of seven 787-8 Dreamliners has proven successful in connecting Amman to major global destinations. The additional order underscores Royal Jordanian's forward-looking approach and commitment to meeting the growing demand for long-haul travel."

Royal Jordanian and Etihad agree codeshare deal

Photo Royal Jordanian 

The Jordanian flag carrier, Royal Jordanian and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates have confirmed they have reached an agreement on a new codeshare deal with effect of Friday, February 15th,

The new codeshare partnership which will provide both airlines customers with greater access to key leisure and business destinations in North Africa, Europe, Canada, Asia and Australia. The Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways is to codeshare on Royal Jordanian services to select points in Europe, North Africa and Canada. While Royal Jordanian customers to have access to Etihad destinations across Asia and Australia.

This is the first partnership deal between the two airlines, who offer multiple daily services between their respective hubs in Abu Dhabi and Amman. The partnership will see Etihad Airways place its ‘EY’ code on Royal Jordanian’s flights from Abu Dhabi via Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport to Larnaca and Berlin, while Algiers, Tunis, Vienna and Montreal will be added to the agreement soon.

Photo Etihad

Airlines halt services to Najaf, Iraq over security fears

Royal Jordanian, the national airline of Jordan and the UAE's Flydubai have both suspended flights to the Iraqi city of Najaf due to the security situation at the airport.

Jordan's state airline confirmed it was suspending its four weekly flights to the Iraqi city on Sunday, it is the ninth city in the region it has had to halt to due fighting and turmoil in recent times. Some of the other destinations it has removed from its schedule include Mosul, Aden and Sanaa.

Flydubai has suspended its daily flight to the Najaf city on a temporary basis, initially until at least 22nd July and follows the security issues around the city that caused the airport to close on Friday. Both airlines have said they will continue to monitor the situation.   Najaf is among a number of cities in the south of Iraq that have seen days of protests over poor services and against official corruption. 

Reduced Losses for Royal Jordanian

Royal Jordanian Airlines losses fell by 64 per-cent in the first quarter compared to the same period a year earlier mainly due to the collapse in oil prices, the airline confirmed last week. 

Royal Jordanian announced on Wednesday it made a net loss of 8.3 million Jordanian dinars over the three months ending 31st March 2015 compared to a 23 million loss last year.  

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sulaiman Al Hafez, stated the losses were due to the drop in oil prices, improvement in airline operations and cost cuts. The airline says it was satisfied with the first quarter performance, signaling the latest stage in a process to return the carrier to profitable operations.