Royal Jordanian has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-8, making it the second Middle East airline to operate the Dreamliner.
The carrier's B787 comes in a two-class configuration with 24 seats in business class and 246 in economy.
It will first be deployed on September 1 on Royal Jordanian's Amman to Jeddah and Amman to London Heathrow routes.
The airline will then rosters the aircraft onto its four-times weekly Amman–Bangkok–Kuala Lumpur route on October 1. Hong Kong will follow on October 2, via Bangkok.
The fuel-efficient aircraft is part of Royal Jordanian's fleet modernisation strategy that will see it phase out its ageing A330-200 and A340-200s over the coming years.
Nasser Lozi, Royal Jordanian president and CEO, said: "We are delighted to receive our first 787 which will not only revolutionise the inflight experience for our passengers but also help Royal Jordanian increase its competitiveness both regionally and internationally."
Significant investment has been made to Royal Jordanian'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 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.
Clement Huang
