RJ outlines plans for network growth this year

AMMAN — Royal Jordanian (RJ) announced that it has an ambitious network growth plan for this year, which will see the launch of new, promising markets, including Stockholm, Düsseldorf, Manama and Al Ula in Saudi Arabia. 

The airline also plans to resume regular, nonstop services to Algiers starting March 16. Seasonal routes to Sharm El Sheikh, Antalya and Trabzon are scheduled to start in April this year, according to a statement from the national carrier. 

As part of the airline’s post-COVID growth plans and in view of the increasing demand, the company will increase the flight frequencies to various routes. 

The service between Amman and Stockholm, starting as of May 29, will see two weekly flights between the two cities, enhancing RJ’s presence in Sweden and the Scandinavian countries. Also, effective of September 23, the company will commence operating to Düsseldorf with two weekly flights. The new route is meant to serve a vital German market, given that Düsseldorf is an international business and financial centre. 

These destinations will help RJ accomplish its Levant strategy and bring tourists to Jordan from European destinations. Flights to Manama, Bahrain, will figure on the route map again in mid-June after being suspended in 2004, the statement said. 

RJ Vice Chairman/CEO Samer Majali said: “Today we are thrilled to announce that we start operating to new destinations that are bound to add value to our air transportation services.The company’s route expansion comes in line with the strategic plan to modernise our narrow-body fleet of aircraft that would serve core destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The fleet renewal plan also includes growing the current fleet of wide-body aircraft, followed by the scheduled replacement of the existing fleet in the near future.”

“We plan to increase the total fleet size from today’s 24 to over 40 aircraft in the coming three-five years. This, in turn, supports RJ’s vision to build one of the largest networks in the Levant,” Majali noted.

He added that RJ’s position as the flag carrier of Jordan drives it to support national efforts to place Jordan on the map as a gateway to the Levant by offering improved connectivity to a broader network.

RJ will operate regular seasonal flights to Trabzon and Antalya, Turkey, and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from April until September. Operating to the mentioned holiday destinations will offer more travel options to tourist groups choosing to fly RJ. And by the third quarter of 2023, RJ will operate the first-ever scheduled flight between Amman and Al Ula International Airport in September, in collaboration with the Petra Development & Tourism Region Authority and the Royal Commission of Al Ula, two flights per week. 

The new service will bring closer together the two most important cities of the historic Nabataean kingdom Al Ula and Petra, concluded the statement.