Royal Jordanian (RJ) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, making it the second airline in the Middle East to operate the aircraft.
"We are delighted to receive our first 787 which will not only revolutionize the inflight experience for our passengers but also help Royal Jordanian increase its competitiveness both regionally and internationally," said Royal Jordanian chairman of the board, president and CEO Nasser Lozi.
RJ has configured its Dreamliner with a two-class configuration that includes 24 seats in business class and 246 in economy. For a detailed seat map of the aircraft, see here. The fuel-efficient aircraft is part of the airline’s fleet modernisation strategy that will see RJ phase out its ageing Airbus A330-200 and A340-200s over the coming years.
The Dreamliner will first be deployed on the Amman–Jeddah and Amman–London Heathrow routes on September 1. Here in Asia, customers from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur will be the first to enjoy the Dreamliner experience when RJ deploys the aircraft on the four-times weekly Amman–Bangkok–Kuala Lumpur route on October 1. Hong Kong will follow on October 2, via Bangkok.
Significant investment has been made to RJ’s base at Queen Alia International Airport. Following the opening of a brand new terminal last year, which made the original three terminals redundant, further expansion plans have been announced and are expected to be complete by 2016. This will hopefully facilitate the airport’s goal of establishing itself as a regional transit hub.
Currently, the airport serves as a major hub for Jordan Aviation, Petra Airlines, Royal Falcon and Royal Wings. It is also well served by other Middle Eastern and European carriers, although Asia and North American airlines have yet to launch direct flights to the airport, due to aggressive monopoly from the neighbouring Gulf powerhouses.
For more information, visit rj.com
Clement Huang
