This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
-
Royal Jordanian
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- RJ/RJA
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Year Founded:
- 1963
- Alliance:
- oneworld
- CEO:
- Samer Majali
- Country:
- Jordan
Summary
- Royal Jordanian has expanded its fleet by ordering six Boeing 787-9 aircraft, bringing its total number of 787s to 15.
- Stan Deal, the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), expressed gratitude to Royal Jordanian for their continued trust.
- Currently, the airline operates seven Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Royal Jordanian has announced that it ordered six Boeing 787-9 aircraft and signed a fleet connectivity retrofit agreement with Boeing at the Dubai Airshow 2023. The airline has a long history with Boeing, as it has been operating the manufacturer’s aircraft since the 1970s when Royal Jordanian Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing aircraft.
Expanding fleet of Boeing 787s
The newest order will expand the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet to 15 aircraft. Now, the carrier operates seven Boeing 787-8, with two units still scheduled for delivery, according to ch-aviation data. Stan Deal, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), said that he was thankful to Royal Jordanian that the airline continued to choose the manufacturer’s products, as the plane maker was “delighted to continue to serve you and help drive efficiency.”
Meanwhile, Samer Majali, the CEO of Royal Jordanian, said that despite the initial delivery delays, when the airline’s first Boeing 787s arrived, they were “a huge addition” to the fleet. Majali added that currently, the carrier has a strong presence in the United States (US), helped by the 787s, as “they made that operation possible.”
Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying
Regarding its 787-8 fleet, Majali noted that the aircraft have been very busy. The CEO also shared details that since manufacturers are struggling to deliver aircraft on time, the airline made the decision to refurbish its 787-8s in cooperation with Boeing to “extend their life as long as possible.” The executive also said that out of the six, two come from an order that was previously canceled, while the four are newly added to its backlog. The reason why the airline canceled the original order was because of the wider issues across the region, including the Arab Spring, which began in early-2010. According to Majali, Boeing will deliver the six 787-9s across the next seven years, with two in 2025, one each in 2026, 2027, and 2028, and the last two in around 2030.