Customer Profile may 2015 33 Distinctive in their gold and gray livery, 787 Dreamliners operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines are easily recognizable as they take off from busy Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, headed for regional or international destinations. Royal Jordanian operates five Dreamliners, with six more scheduled to join its fleet over the next few years. The airline chose the 787 for fleet modernization and to help expand its regional and long-haul network, which includes the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, according to Haitham Misto, president and CEO of Royal Jordanian. “We are keen to continue the legacy of being a forward-thinking airline,” said Misto, who is a pilot and has flown the 787 on a couple of delivery flights. Royal Jordanian is delighted with the operational efficiencies of the 787, the first of which Boeing delivered last year, he said. “There has been a significant difference in our fleet performance and operational costs ever since we started operating our 787s.” Misto said the Dreamliners also are key to the airline’s focus of providing the best possible flying experience to passengers—with the biggest windows of any current commercial jetliner, LED mood lighting and bigger overhead bins. Royal Jordanian was the first airline in the Middle East to order the 787, in March 2007. It has long been a trendsetter. In the mid-1970s, it was the first Arab airline to operate flights between the Middle East and New York. Around the same time, the airline hired its first Jordanian female flight engineer, who was also the first Arab woman then to serve as a member of the flight deck. More recently, airlineratings.com named Royal Jordanian one of the top 10 safest airlines in the world for 2013. The airline, established by the late King Hussein in 1963, prides itself on bringing traditional Jordanian hospitality to the skies. Initially called Alia Airlines, after the King’s eldest daughter and as a symbol of his personal investment in its success, the airline’s name changed to Royal Jordanian in 1986 by royal decree. During its 50-year history, the airline has grown from three airplanes serving four destinations to a member of the One World alliance, with a fleet of 27 airplanes serving 54 destinations globally. “I want our national carrier to be our ambassador of goodwill around the world and to be a bridge across which we exchange culture, civilization, trade, technology, friendship and better understanding with the rest of the world,” King Hussein said at the time Alia Airlines launched. King Hussein, himself a trained and enthusiastic pilot, nurtured the airline’s long relationship with Boeing, which dates to 1970. Over the years, the airline has operated the Boeing 707, 720, 727, 747 and, most recently, the 787 Dreamliner. Judging by the airline’s achievements so far, it has a great future, according to Marty Bentrott, Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for the Middle East. “There is a sense of national pride that was instilled by the late King Hussein back when the airline was launched and you still feel it today,” Bentrott said. “It translates into everything they do, and I’m happy that Boeing has been able to be part of that journey, particularly now, with the delivery of the airline’s 787.” n saffa na.michael 2@boeing.com Photo: A Royal Jordanian 787 at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. royal jorda nian Royal Dreams With 787s in its fleet, Royal Jordanian is set for the long haul—and a superior passenger experience by Saffa na Michael
Frontiers May 2015 Issue
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