Exclusive to Flight Report ! Ladies and Gentleman, having brought you the first PIA reports, the first for Lahore and Kuwait, the first for Shaheen Air, the Internet's first Istanbul - Lahore and Lahore - Bangkok reports, I am very honoured to today present you with the FR's and the Internet's first Royal Jordanian Economy Class review from London Heathrow to Amman !
I had been intrigued to fly Royal Jordanian since I was about 11 ( in 1990 ) after some family friends flew from London-Amman-Karachi and raved about how excellent the inflight service was.
I then grew an interest to visit Jordan after doing a school project on Petra in 1994. At the time I lived in Holland and upon contacting Royal Jordanian's Amsterdam office,they sent me a timetable with Petra on the cover which only added to my excitement to visit this amazing gem,now one of the New 7 Wonders Of The World.
Earlier this year and ahead of flying TK1995 from Istanbul to Manchester, I stayed in a hotel which overlooked one of Istanbul Ataturk's runways and seeing the afternoon Amman departure of Royal Jordanian's 787 piqued my interest so much that I had to book a flight sooner rather than later !
One thing did make me uncomfortable. After being a fan of KLM and Brussels Airlines for 20+ years, I had had a horrible flight on each airline meaning I will never fly them again ( see reports ).
But I had been a Royal Jordanian fan for 26 years and I kept wondering if RJ would treat me the same. Not a nice thought. But I thought positive as I have heard so many good things about Royal Jordanian.
Jordan - The Middle East's Jewel
Jordan is an Arab country, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south; Iraq to the north-east; Syria to the north;Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west; and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west. Jordan's main draw is Petra, especially The Treasury / Al Khazneh where Indiana Jones The Last Crusade was filmed ! In 2017 Will Smith was in Jordan to film Aladdin so a new generation will be introduced to Jordan !
.
.
.
Jordan here I come !
Royal Jordanian - the story of an airline
Royal Jordanian Airlines is the National Flag carrier of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and is headquartered at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport. In Arabic the airline is known as Al-Malakiyyah al-'Urduniyyah
Royal Jordanian was established on 9th December 1963 and started operations on 15 December 1963 after a Royal Decree by the late King Hussein.
Upon issuing the decree, King Hussein said: “I want our national carrier to be our ambassador of goodwill around the world and a bridge across which we exchange culture, civilization, trade, technology, friendship and better understanding with the rest of the world.” Over the 5 plus decades that Royal Jordanian has flown around the world,it has been as an Ambassador for Jordan and the Jordanian people.
The airline was initally named Alia - Royal Jordanian Airlines, after Alia, King Hussein's eldest child, Princess Alia bint Al Hussein of Jordan. It is a common misconception that the airline was named after the King's third wife, Queen Alia. In 1986 the airline dropped the Alia part of the name and became known simply as Royal Jordanian. The airline's two letter code RJ reminds me of the Indian word Raja which means King/Prince. Very appropriate then !
Mission Statement
Vision
To be the Airline of choice connecting Jordan and the Levant with the world.
Mission
To ensure that our customers will always recommend our airline because we consistently provide :
The highest and stimulation level of safe, secure and reliable air transportation.
A seamless travel experience with exceptional customer care.
Value for money through maintaining cost efficiency.
In 1998, Royal Jordanian replaced the First and Business Classes with a single Premium Cabin called Crown Class on routes to Europe, the Far East, North America, and the Indian Sub-Continent. It also introduced the Personal Video service for Crown Class passengers.
In April 2007, Royal Jordanian became part of the Oneworld alliance, becoming the first Arab airline to join a global alliance system. The following month, the airline announced an order for a total of 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, for service entry in 2010. The Dreamliners began active service with Royal Jordanian from 2014 onwards.
Royal Jordanian Fleet
Royal Jordanian's aircraft's have traditionally been named after Mountains,Towns,Rivers and Cities in Jordan. Above all,the aircraft have always carried names of the much Respected and loved Royal Family of Jordan.
As the only two aircraft I flew on this trip were the 787 , I will focus on this aircraft type,however Royal Jordanian does operate the A319,A320,Embraer 170/190. Historically, Royal Jordanian operated the 727,747,L1011 Tristar,A310,A330 and A340, so Royal Jordanian passengers have always flown in modern aircraft of their time.
The current flagship of Royal Jordanian's fleet, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner carries the names of the following members of the current Jordanian Royal family's chilldren with the exception of the 787 registered JY-BAF which is named "Amman", after Jordan's Capital City ;
JY-BAA Prince Hussein bin Abdullah ( the Crown Prince )
JY-BAB Princess Iman Bint Abdullah
JY-BAC Princess Salma Bint Abdullah
JY-BAE Prince Hashem bin Abdullah
JY-BAG and JY-BAH currently don't have a name but it would be the natural choice to name them King Abdullah II and Queen Rania !
Royal Jordanian only has 2 A321s in active service which are named ;
Karak - a city in Jordan known for it's Crusader Castle ( JY-AYT )
Madaba - Ancient town southwest of the capital Amman ( JY-AYV )
I believe naming aircraft has great significance as it helps passengers engage with Jordan when a named aircraft lands internationally,thereby encouraging interest in Jordan and perhaps inspiring a trip.
Royal Jordanian's Flagship - the 787 Dreamliner
As per Royal Jordanian's Marketing "This is so much more than a plane; it is Royal Jordanian’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Every aspect of the aircraft, from material choices to the smallest design"…
See the video showcase here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcYLP3aXx0
Royal Wings
Royal Wings, a subsidiary of Royal Jordanian Airline, is an aircraft charter operator headquartered in Amman, Jordan and serving the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Gulf Area connecting Jordan to its neighbouring countries.
Royal Wings previously operated scheduled Passenger flights to Aqaba, Tel Aviv, Al Arish, Sharm El Sheikh, Aleppo, Ankara, Aqaba to Sharm El Sheikh and Alexandria all from Amman Marka International Airport and Queen Alia International Airport, in addition to a number of adhoc charter services.
In recent time, Royal Wings have gone through restructuring and transformation to fine-tune to the new aviation environment in the region. A transition into a low cost charter operation with a modern fleet was implemented to further support the charter business and compete effectively and efficiently.
Alternatively, a gradual transitionof the regional operation that was operated by Royal Wings has transferred to Royal Jordanian. The turboprop airplanes were relocated to Queen Alia Airport and operated under the name and brand of Royal Jordanian Airline. This restructuring is intended to have a more focused business plan for the group, whereby Royal Jordanian route network, regional and international will operate under Royal Jordanian and the charter sales and operation under Royal Wings, the airline that hold the full meaning of “Chartering the World Together”.
The livery/titles of Royal Wings is in effect a stylish version of the already amazing Royal Jordanian livery.
Livery
Back to the family friends who flew Royal Jordanian in 1991,they brought back a 747 model aircraft for their living room. I remember being in awe at the majestic livery,which for 11 year old me who was only a newbie to the airline world,was fascinating. The livery I grew up with was the majestic and exotic Charcoal Grey livery.
This livery covered ( and continues to cover ) the entire aircraft from nose to tail. The underbelly of aircrafts was white along with white engines which really accentuated the beauty of the livery. A Gold cheatline ran under the aircraft windows and a Red one above the windows.
The tail was grey with black speedlines and had a central Golden Crown on it and a bold diagonal red band across the top of the tail.
Royal Jordanian titles on the forward fuselage in Gold English titles and an Arabic script completed the livery.
Today the engines are grey to match the livery with a red wave on the leading (forward) part of the engine, the underbelly remains white albeit with large Red Royal Jordanian titles emblazoned on the underbelly so when looking up from the ground,one can easily identify which airline is flying over head (a practice started by Emirates Airline and later followed by Qatar Airways,PIA,Bangladesh Biman and Turkish Airlines).
The cheatline has moved under the windows first with the Red line and then the Gold. The red band on the top of the tail now gradually slants downwards. The fuselage titles remain the same and their Golden colour only continues the majestic and Royal look. Meaning,that in the 26 years I have followed Royal Jordanian,the livery has largely been the same ! The lower forward fuselage also carries www.rj.com in red as a sky high central and global point of contact for Royal Jordanian 24 hours a day ! Where Royal Jordanian has in the past operated aircrafts with winglets,these have been red with a Golden Crown.
I believe that Royal Jordanian's liveries have always attracted attention as,where other airlines have been moving towards bland and boring Eurowhite with a colourful tail, Royal Jordanian has remained committed to having aircraft painted in a livery that will always stand out. I believe that the liveries were enhanced further by the fact that they appeared on magnificent aircraft like the 747 and Tristar. In an age where most aircraft are white with a decorated tail only and basic titles,Royal Jordanian's livery has stood the test of time and continues to dazzle fans and passengers all around the world. The Arabic font you always see before the English Royal Jordanian titles reads "Alia" the airline's original name.
I would like to see the "Royal Jordanian" titles enlarged billboard style as shown here
I will let the following pictures do the talking as you view the livery through the ages
.
.
[
.
.
Royal Jordanian - The Royal Connections !
As seen by the following product names, the airline really cares about being a Royal Airline and the Royal influence reaches far and wide within the airline and worldwide ;
Royal Plus - Frequent Flyer Programme
Crown Class - Business Class brand name
Crown Lounge Amman - Signature lounge
Royal Wings - Inflight Magazine
Royal Boutique - Onboard Shopping
Corporate Slogans
1963 - 1968
"From Jordan to the world"
1968 - 1974
"Excellence in the air"
1974 - 2005
"Journey in Royalty" and "The way you want to fly"
2006
"Change is in the air"
2008 - 2010
"You're There."
2010 - 2014
"The Art of Flying"
2014 -Present
"A World of Stories"
Airports where I have seen Royal Jordanian aircrafts
Amman - 787 Dreamliner / A320
Amsterdam Schiphol - L-1011 Tristar
Jeddah King Abdul Aziz - L-1011 Tristar
London Heathrow - A310 / 787 Dreamliner
Manchester - A310
Istanbul Ataturk - 787 Dreamliner
Royal Jordanian A310 performing a Hajj Charter flight in 2000 from Manchester - Hajj is the annual piligrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for all Muslims of sound mind,good health and comfortable wealth.
Cabin Crew Uniform
Most airline fans and passengers just under 30 years of age,are familiar with the iconic Emirates Red hat with white scarf attached to the hat and draped over the shoulder of it's Airhostesses. However this elegant modern yet clear nod to Muslim culture was developed by Royal Jordanian for it's own Airhostesses decades ago ! Every Cabin Crewmember wears a badge with the Jordanian Royal Coat of Arms.
A look at Royal Jordanian Uniforms through the decades to the present day
The Yahala Dress shown here on the right - an immediate connection to Jordanian Culture !
.
.
.
.
.
Social Media and Advertising
The Facebook page is quite functional and dynamic with 527,476 people ‘liking’ the airline as at December 2017. The Twitter account has nearly 329,000 followers at the time of writing and the social media staff respond to users in a timely manner in both English and Arabic.
The airline says that “by using these channels, Royal Jordanian hopes to gain an additional very efficient marketing tool that is able to instantly reach hundreds of thousands of people" thereby bringing RJ – as a brand and as a company – closer to its customers.
Around 20 influential Jordanian bloggers attended a 2011 event broadcasting over 1500 messages to their social circles from inside of the parked aircraft.
Royal Jordanian is the most active airline on Facebook / Twitter with regular updates,news,competitions and humour. The airline is deeply engaged with fans and passengers and in 2011 even decorated the cabin interior of an A320 with Facebook and Twitter tags which were suspended from the cabin ceiling and also decorated the exterior !
A Social Media Sensation ! Around 20 influential Jordanian bloggers attended the 2011 event broadcasting over 1500 messages to their social circles from inside of the parked aircraft. A flight was intended to ensue but either unknown technical issues or regulatory problems grounded the airliner.
.
.
.
In 2017 the airline created a media frenzy when it released a print and online advert which encouraged passengers to fly while they still can to the US (ahead of Trump's Muslim ban)
And then this crazy advert after the Muslim ban was lifted with clever use of the word ban !
The Advertising team of Royal Jordanian sure is creative and full of fresh thinking and are to be commended for innovative eye catching and engaging adverts like this one of ice cream versions of icons at RJ destinations.
At times Royal Jordanian's humour can be rather naughty ! This advert caused uproar for it's audacity !
https://www.albawaba.com/loop/royal-jordanian-raises-eyebrows-cheeky-ad-898730
The 2017 Laptop ban brought more fun advertising !
And then there was this " fear of flying" video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zg_cnIuTMI&app=desktop
Past adverts of Royal Jordanian show the airline always had eye catching adverts
.
Royal Jordanian is the sponsor of the Lexus Tennis Festival 2017
And this is the cream on the cake - or the Crown rather !
From Jordan to Madrid, Royal Jordanian steals the spotlight with a live Dabkeh performance by Cabin Crew in Madrid ! Enjoy !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0yJyjfBq8g
A Royal Jordanian Captain has recently made a bold statement about the Palestine issue and has had thousands upon thousands of retweets !
https://stepfeed.com/royal-jordanian-pilot-trolls-trump-s-jerusalem-declaration-4592
When ShannON became ShanOFF !
In 2001, New York JFK flights made a technical stop in Shannon,Ireland to /from Amman. It is of no surprise that this lucrative 20 flights a week operation was short lived after notorious Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary very publicy wrote to the then Irish Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke about apparent unfair competition. What really was awful was O’Leary’s further claims that Royal Jordanian was using Shannon as a, to quote “toilet stop” he also had a dig at PIA which had flown via Shannon 1999-2000 to/from the USA/Canada for the same absurd reason, The calling out of PIA incorrectly as “ Pakistani International” ( actual name is Pakistan International Airlines) shows further that these comments were purely for attention and no attention had been paid to them or their impact ( the eventual ending of the flights).
What made his claims ludicrous is that both Royal Jordanian and PIA contributed heavily to the local economy as each flight needed staff for security,passenger and baggage handling,immigration,catering,cleaning and fuel/maintenance services as well as crew hotels/transport. It is very interesting to note that Kuwait Airways were considering Shannon as a transit stop for New York JFK flights but chose Manchester( a new destination ) instead,as of September 2017.
Route Network
Today’s Royal Jordanian route network is dramatically reduced but the below map shows how far and wide Royal Jordanian used to fly. Alongside the once mighty Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian had a major route network complemented by superior inflight service,international crew and delicious food and seat comfort. In effect,Gulf Air and Royal Jordanian were the airlines that set the standards and platform from which Emirates,Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways have catapulted to global recognition.
The airline had strong demand for flights to Pakistan,India and Sri Lanka ; all of which have since been dropped.
I sincerely hope that Royal Jordanian will restart Pakistan service but this time to Lahore and Multan and will also add Manchester to it’s network. Furthermore I would love to see flights from major cities,especially London, which land directly in Aqaba,Gateway to Petra. The current schedule from London means you arrive upto midnight in Amman and if you want to connect to Aqaba there is an almost 6 hour wait. This really needs to be addressed. The flight from Amman to Aqaba v.v. is on average 50 minutes or just under.
I guess RJ’s once daily London Heathrow to Amman service ( RJ112 ) is timed to arrive in Amman to better connect with the only 3 Asian routes of Bangkok,Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. However, as the Jordanian Flag Carrier, priority should be given to Aqaba connections for all the traffic which currently connects through Amman.
Over in the USA, Royal Jordanian continues to fly to New York JFK ,Chicago,Montreal and perhaps unusually for any Arab carrier, Detroit. The Detroit route has had great success owing to the sizeable Jordanian/Palestinian and wider Arab community and Jordanian students flying back and forth to their homeland. The Royal Jordanian network of the 80's / 90's
RJ launches promotional campaign that reflects passengers’ personal experience ( October 2016 )
The campaign’s aspects reveal that when traveling RJ there is more than getting from one point to another. The airline’s brand inspires its passengers to create stories, and that there is more to be experienced, seen, sensed and lived.
The “Brand Destinations” campaign is slated to convey the non-typical, unique qualities that traveling with RJ brings to light. It shows that Royal Jordanian understands the minds of travelers and that they look for the stories behind the destinations.
The campaign also encourages passengers to detail their travel experience as an event stimulating body and soul, narrate the details of their flight and share its excitement with family and friends. This reflects the airline’s slogan launched two years ago, A World of Stories.
The new campaign shows its viewers that RJ distinguishes itself through competitive services that meet customers’ needs and expectations, particularly that RJ’s flights cover many destinations and are direct.
The campaign’s text and advertisements urge passengers to exhibit interesting feelings and thoughts about the country they wish to visit. It uses a series of vivid messages that extol the privilege of traveling with RJ while inviting passengers to steep in new experiences and discover the world and new civilizations and making friends with people of different nationalities.
The campaign ads are publicized in local dailies, magazines, outdoor signs and billboards, and on public transportation vehicles, as well as online and on social media channels.
Route Network Development
Considering the main attraction which draws tourists to Jordan is Petra,one of the Seven Wonders Of The World a much better London-Aqaba connection is needed. The London Heathrow flight RJ112 is timed to arrive in Amman to better connect with Asian departures however I strongly believe that London Heathrow - Aqaba should have a daily nonstop flight arriving into Aqaba around 1500pm in the afternoon from where Petra is around 2 hours drive. This would then allow passengers to check into their hotels and freshen up if they want to see the Treasury / Al Khazneh by candle light accompanied by Bedouin music. The evening show starts at 2030pm. Royal Jordanian could offer a free or discounted bus service from Aqaba Airport to Petra vice versa.
Royal Jordanian Airlines in the winter 2017/18 season once again offers scheduled charter flights from Aqaba to Nordic countries, including Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm. On board Airbus A320 aircraft, these services will see a once weekly operation.
Aqaba – Copenhagen 12NOV17 – 03DEC17 / 04FEB18 – 08APR18 1 weekly
RJ6850 AQJ600 – 1005CPH 320 7
RJ6851 CPH1050 – 1650AQJ 320 7
Aqaba – Helsinki 13NOV17 – 04DEC17 / 05FEB18 – 16APR18 1 weekly
RJ6856 AQJ0600 – 1115HEL 320 1
RJ6857 HEL1200 – 1710AQJ 320 1
Aqaba – Stockholm Arlanda 11NOV17 – 09DEC17/ 10FEB18 – 14APR18 1 weekly
RJ6848 AQJ0600 – 1015ARN 320 6
RJ6849 ARN1115 – 1715AQJ 320 6
https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/275375/royal-jordanian-w17-aqaba-nordic-charters-overview
I sincerely hope Manchester service will also commence along with the reinstatement of Pakistan and India services which were always fully booked and very busy. London and Manchester routes would soon be exceptionally busy based on transit passengers to/from Pakistan and India alone.
That said Royal Jordanian has made fleeting appearances in Pakistan in the last few years ;
Medical Diversion to Karachi in 2013
https://www.rj.com/en/meet-rj/our-media-center/news/2013/03/07/rj-flight-to-hong-kong-diverted-to-karachi-to-secure-first-aid-for-passenger
Deportees being flown from Berlin to Islamabad on 787 JY-BAA in December 2017
As mentioned,Royal Jordanian is the only Arab carrier to fly to Detroit in the United States and provides an airbridge for the large Arab communities settled in and around Detroit to Amman and beyond in the Levant region and elsewhere.
RJ's future is as the niche carrier in the Levant ; Jordan,Syria,Lebanon,Iraq. Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey are sometimes considered Levant countries.
Zuwar
Explore the astounding wonders of Jordan, experience its diversity and bask in the warmth of Jordanian hospitality while transiting via Amman to your final destination.
‘Zuwar' is Arabic for ‘visitors', and in Jordan, visitors are what makes it all worthwhile. Therefore, wherever your destination might be, whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, alone or with family or friends, you are invited to indulge in Jordan's phenomenal beauty and spice up your trip by visiting the home of Petra and the Dead Sea.
Zuwar treats transit passengers by offering them accommodation in three-, four and five-star hotels in Petra and Madaba, in addition to a wide variety of half- and full-day tours to the main cities and tourist attractions, such as Amman, Jerash, Petra, Dead Sea, Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site and the Desert Castles, among others. Zuwar services also include “meet and assist” at Queen Alia International Airport, transfers from/to the airport, lunch or dinner at traditional restaurants and sites visits.
Arabesk
In 2006,when most Arab Airlines were not yet in any alliance,Arabesk was planned to create a Pan Arabian alliance. The Alliance never really took off and most airlines of the region are now in Alliances. An artist's impression of an Arabesk livery aircraft.
Online Booking / rj.com / Mobile Phone App / Customer Support
The website is easy to navigate and contains excellent and detailed information for the entire booking process. However I would recommend to have a more obvious “ Manage Booking” function as you need to look around for it.
After making the booking at the end of July 2017 , I was a bit upset to learn that the RJ112 would be downgraded to an A321. I love the A321 aircraft however as my return was already on the A321, I really wanted to experience the 787, the flagship of the RJ fleet. From making my booking and for post booking queries. I was then delighted to see the aircraft was a 787 again ! The return RJ111 was an 787 and over the course of many months of tracking the A321 made regular appearances at Heathrow !
Here is flightradar24's very useful flight log which eventually put me at ease that I would be on a 787 all the way to Amman and back ! Incidentally the A321 that seems to visit London a lot is registered JY-AYV which reminds me of one of my two favourite PIA 747s ( AP-AYV - the other being AP-BCM )
Website - previous version which was that bit clearer
App
When you email Customer Relations at [email protected], you receive an automated email stating you will get a reply within 10 working days. However it is only 3 working days for more pressing matters at [email protected].
Royal Jordanian Classic Memorabilia
Bag Tags
Timetable
Playing Cards
The Royal Jordanian Collection
.
.
.
Easyjet and Amman
The Amman route, which launched in March 2011 with flights from London Gatwick, was withdrawn in May 2014, with the last flight departing Amman on Sunday 4th May 2014. It was the only route easyJet maintained to Jordan.
After Easyjet pulled out of Amman, Air Arabia Jordan moved in. However Royal Jordanian has strongly held onto it's crown !
https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinrivers/2017/11/24/royal-jordanian-eyes-low-cost-model-after-pushing-out-air-arabia/
However all Economy Class flights to Aqaba and shorthaul flights in the region, are moving away from full meal trays to snackboxes in order to save costs ( unlike BA which makes you pay for everything on UK domestic and shorthaul Economy flights )
Preflight I had been receiving emails to bid for a Crown Class upgrade
And I had seen how my RJ flights would tie in to BA Avios !
RJ112 - London Heathrow to Amman 3rd December 2017
I had arrived into London Heathrow on BA1395 from Manchester to connect with the daily Royal Jordanian RJ112 service to Amman ( link to report).
After clearing security in Terminal 3, I was about to go to the Departure Hall to wait for my gate to be announced when I saw these transfer desks.
I also saw one for Royal Jordanian so I thought I would ask about the earlier seat issue where 8A ( a window near the front) was then 33C ( an aisle at the back) and then 31A.
I approached the desk in my usual friendly manner. The lady clearly was not having a good day. She asked for my ( British ) Passport and then immediately pushed back my Passport towards me and said"You need to sign your Passport otherwise it's not valid". She did this quite curtly. As you all know I have been abroad many times this year and no one has ever mentioned this. I said the same and she said "Well you have to sign it". I don't know which is more insulting. That no one has mentioned this in 4 countries visited before this trip or the fact that someone who isn't even British is speaking to me like an Army Sergeant.
So I squiggled my name and will have that signature for 10 years. She then calls a colleague on her mobile and next thing you know I get an actual Royal Jordanian boarding pass and I am back on 8A !
My first ever Royal Jordanian Boarding Pass !
But not my final seat choice !
.
Transfer Guide
I left to sit in Departures to do some downloading /transferring of files.At 1505pm I saw that RJ112 would be departing from gate 29. I could hear the song where are you now by Ellie Goulding playing in one of the shops or restaurants nearby.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Las Vegas,Tehran,Amman - what a random selection of destinations ! I now wish I had gone to the IranAir gate to ask to get a photo of the aircraft operating the IR710 to Tehran ; most likely one of the new A330s. You wonder what I mean by ask and bear in mind this flight was boarding. Read on for an explanation !
.
To access the boarding gates in Terminal 3, you have to go through a boarding pass check and only then can you go into the seating area.
Guess who was at the gate area ? Miss Happy. Miss Happy by the way works for Menzies a handling agent and isn't a Royal Jordanian employee.
Before I go ahead please note that I had informed Royal Jordanian that I am travelling with them for the first time and have been a fan for 26 years.
I told Miss Happy that there should be notes on my booking that I am allowed to preboard and take photos of the cabin. She shrugged her shoulders and luckily the Royal Jordanian Station Manager arrived. I introduced myself and he was a very nice man. He told me he will let me know as soon as it is possible to preboard to take some cabin shots.
The flight had a reasonable load but wasn't full ; 2 nice Menzies staff did a seatchange - but this time to 31A and 2 next to me free ( blocked ! ).
.
.
.
My Majestic ride to Amman - my first ever flight on Royal Jordanian !
.
Codeshares and Alliances explained
Airlines use Alliances and Codesshares to expand their reach without placing additional aircraft in the sky. Passengers benefit from alliances and codeshares via baggage handling agreements between airlines, particularly on International routes – enabling them to through check their luggage at their initial departure point and getting them automatically to their final destination - even if changing terminals & carriers in various countries along the way. They also benefit by being able to accrue and redeem miles on partner carriers.
An Alliance refers to the business agreement between two or more carriers sharing the same flight for example ; if your ticket states Finnair operated by JAL you would be on a JAL aircraft – in which case Finnair is the marketing carrier selling seats & promoting routes under its own name. There are three major Global Airline Alliances at present ; StarAlliance, Oneworld and Skyteam.
A beautiful anniversary video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-b79r_HFs&app=desktop
FastFacts about RJ112 codesharing with American Airlines as AA7192
Aircraft name Prince Hashem Bin Abdullah
Registration JY-BAE
Aircraft 787-8
STD1605
ATD1648PM
ETA 2305pm
ATA 2300pm
4HRS 10MINS
Previous flight Bangkok-Amman
Next flight after RJ112 and full schedule until I would fly back on the same aircraft as RJ111 - Tel Aviv ( believe it or not ) then Heathrow,Bangkok,HongKong,Heathrow,Bangkok,Kuala Lumpur,New York JFK,Bangkok,HongKong,Bangkok,Amman
At 1540pm the Station Manager took me to preboard . The entrance to the 787 is really beautiful and dramatic.
A very pretty Airhostess in a beautiful traditional Jordanian "Yahala" embroidered dress said Ahlan Wasahlan and the Cabin Manager also shook my hand and welcomed me onboard. I truly felt like a celebrity ! Especially when I was welcome aboard by name !
I took some photos of the cabin and other crew warmly welcomed me onboard and came to introduce themselves. Apologies for the below photo being blurry as boarding had commenced and I took this particular photo in a hurry !
The red and grey seat fabrics - a very nice and relaxing colour combination
.
.
.
.
A boarding video was playing on all tv screens showing Jordanian sights and Arabic music was playing also. Not a lot of ailines show a boarding video anymore so this immediately caught my eye !
A friendly Steward came over and introduced himself. The crew were aware I am flying for the first time on RJ and were really happy to have me onboard.
The Steward brought me a pen as my pen had been left in my jacket which had been hung up.
Massive Overhead Lockers !
Oopsy - it wasn't me !
Or this !
.
Overhead airvent / light etc
.
Superb legroom ; the seatpan ( where your bum rests ) slides back and you get an amazing recline !
Boarding continued and at 1603pm there was a welcome PA.
Earphones were handed out
The Airhostess with the traditional Jordanian dress came by with an Arabic teapot and porcelain mini cuplet to offer me Arabic coffee which tasted amazing !I would later be given a gift packet of the Coffee !
All Aboard !
.
This Airhostess, then brings me a mini bottle of water and an Acqua Colonia amenity kit ( not handed out in Economy but a special gift from RJ to show how much they value my first time custom ! ).
She advises she will check on me from time to time. Wow. I cannot imagine Emirates or other so called 'Arabian" airlines going this extra mile. If RJ wanted me as a future flyer then they have me.Forever !
The aircraft was going nowhere and I was invited to have a quick chat with the crew and I was asked whether my football team was Manchester City or Manchester United ( neither by the way ! ).
The Cabin Crew were very friendly,polite,professional and are like family/friends rather than people just doing a job.
All crew would check how I am throughout the flight. I really would be made to feel like a Royal Prince !
The Dua E Safar started ( pretravel prayer) played on all tv screens and sure enough the safety video started.
Exit Door
We pushed back at 1620pm and a Welcome to Jordan video played with a very catchy song called Yalla ( Arabic for "hurry". amazing video- superb catchy song and a treat to watch as we taxied towards the runway).
.
.
.
Watch the official video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-1V1mrwqns
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cabin darkened for take off
After taxying for quite sometime at Heathrow it was a real surprise to take off at 1648pm when I thought we were simply parked up waiting for our take off slot !
.
Inflight Entertainment
No RoyalWings magazine has been published for the last few months. Virgin Atlantic stopped producing an inflight magazine in 2001 and only have an IFE and Shopping guide onboard.
A look at Royal Wings from summer 2017 ;
.
In the seatpocket is a branded Royal Jordanian plastic wallet with SkyCinema the IFE guide, Royal Boutique shopping brochure, a safety card and a sick bag.
I would recommend to change the cute and niche IFE guide into Royal Wings inflight magazine with a few pages with route maps,fleet guide, IFE guide and Shopping all in one as well as Arabic into English phrases and a "Postcard from Jordan" where the focus is a Jordanian tradition,meal or icon. or perhaps. Royal BoutiqueShopping can be shown on the tv screens before sales commence.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Next up let's discover the Audio and Video on Demand. I was surprised that the only 2 acts I knew on the Audio channels were 80s/90s British pop due Erasure and the Internet Generation Taylor Swift ! The movie selection was good as was the tv selection which included a Channel all about Jordan !
See the full Inflight Entertainment Guide at https://rj.com/uploads/Movies.pdf
Earphone Jack and USB port
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I was very pleased, that unlike on Turkish Airlines where most USB ports don't work, I was immediately able to connect my devices and keep them charged on Royal Jordanian's 787 Dreamliner
Airshow on an exit tv monitor
Enroute scenery considering it was pitch black outside !
.
.
.
Inflight Shopping - Royal Boutique
.
Just as well I already have a 787 model aircraft or I would have been buying this one !
Royal Jordanian do have an online shop / visitor accessible shop in Amman for branded RJ gifts. The service is called Hadiyah.
During the flight I had a lovely chat with the Flight Manager where we talked about the sizeable Pakistanis in Jordan and how Royal Jordanian used to fly to Karachi back in the day ! The route was Amman-Dubai-Karachi and Tristars and A310s operated the route. The Karachi service stopped in summer 2005.
I was surprised to get a message during the flight that the Captain says hi !
The Flight Manager told me about the traditional Jordanian dishdasha ( long white men's robe ) and Shimak ( red and white men's head covering). He also brought me a copy of the Jordan Times newspaper and told me there are more newspapers on the rack at the back if I need one.
The Flight Manager speaks German having lived in Germany so I practised a few phrases ! Das ist gut !
Royal Jordanian often carry the Jordanian Royal family and I was humbled to hear that,just like the image we have of the Jordanian Royal family,they are very modest and polite.
Inflight Comfort,Amenities and Washrooms
.
Let's take a look at the stunning Amenity Kit given to me as an exclusive gift as an RJ fan ! Please note that Economy Class passengers on the London route do not receive amenity kits.
If only the Internet allowed you to smell scents. The smell of the Acqua Colonia lotion and lipbalm is exquisite. It would certainly make any trip smell beautiful.Thank you Royal Jordanian for such thoughtfulness !
.
.
The 787 Washrooms are very nice with electric blue lights, easy to lift toilet seats but a very loud flush. Or should I say loud suck !
.
.
FOR RJ111 The one thing I hated and I don't know if it was a fault, was that the back toilet seat kept coming down onto my back. Luckily I always thoroughly clean any toilet before using it.
Lemon Scented towelette with the premeal drinks and nuts
Newspapers on racks at the back of each cabin
Some information on the Yahala Dresses worn by Royal Jordanian's Crown Class Female Lead Flight Attendant as well as Crew Grooming Information ( from my private RJ collection )
Inflight Meals
Pre meal, you get a packet of very nice salted peanuts along with a drink of your choice and then a refreshing lemon scented towelette. I would recommend to serve the refresher towelette during taxi or just after take off as it says on the packaging " Have a refreshing flight ! "
.
.
.
As I enjoyed my meal, the Flight Manager was going round the cabin wishing passengers Bon Appetit ! I also loved the fact that when the cabin crew serve the meal,they say " Enjoy".
Royal Jordanian RJ112 LHRAMM Economy Class Meal Option 1 - Chicken - I loved the fact that as I was fling on a Sunday,this meal resembled a traditional British Sunday meal ! Very nice touch !
Starters
Coleslaw and Lettuce Starter with Salad dressing
Warm bread roll with Cream Cheese ( plus packaged roll )
Main Course
Chicken in Thyme Sauce with mashed potatoe and Green Beans
Dessert
Apple and Rhubarb Cake
Selection of drinks
.
Royal Jordanian RJ112 LHRAMM Economy Class Meal Option 2 - Fish
Starters
Coleslaw and Lettuce Starter with Salad dressing
Warm bread roll with Cream Cheese ( plus packaged roll )
Main Course
Pangasius Fish with Tomatoe Lime Sauce,spicy spinach and vegetable rice
Dessert
Apple and Rhubarb Cake
Selection of drinks
Silver cutlery - for elegant dining above the clouds !
.
.
The trayliner shows the Red Rocks of Petra
One Steward brought me 3 delicious cakes from Crown Class as a treat but I only managed to finish the indulgent Kiwi Cake which was filled with a decadent sweet custard…talk about being indulged in the skies !
I was very very humbled to receive a crockery set as a gift with a Gold Royal Jordanian logo on all items as well as a packet of traditional Jordanian Coffee plus menucards as mementoes. I certainly wouldn't be leaving my Royal Jordanian flight empty handed !
.
I showed one Airhostess my picture with BA Airhostesses from the earlier Manchester-Heathrow connecting flight and she compared the hats to those of Royal Jordanian. Indeed there is some similarity.
Late into the flight I had a last coke with ice,served this time in a trendy coffee cuplet !
Amman here I come. Jerusalem shown on the Airshow. Just days after my arrival in Jordan,Trump announced that the "US" would recognise Jerusalem as the new capital of Israel.
.
Comment cards were distributed sometime before descent ;descent commenced around 2250pm and we landed in Amman at 2300pm.
.
.
.
.
I was reseated before landing for speedier disembarkation - hence why you see that someone is sat by the window.
RJ112's journey on 3rd December 2017
Upon landing in Amman I had more photos with the crew and actually left the aircraft with them - I felt like a very Royal Jordanian guy !
JY-BAE - the magic carpet ride from London to Amman
Welcome to Jordan !
It is worth noting that Jordan is a very highly educated country and English is widely and fluently spoken. I am therefore unsure why Immigration Officials struggle to converse and could be seen asking people if they speak Arabic.
I wasn't too impressed that Immigration Officials appeared to have poor English, would ask your name and hotel very loudly in full view of others in the queue and then ask bizarre questions which are either mistakes or red herrings ( diversions thrown in to catch you out ).
I for example was asked if Adnan is my middle name ( I don't have a middle name ) and what my Father's name is ( this information was never given by me so I don't see what difference it would have made ! ).
The first officer took my JOD40.00 and then sat counting notes form all other passengers for around 5 minutes until I asked if there was a problem ? He then passed me to a colleague next to him who said " Mister, off,off" ( in normal English " Sir please can you remove your glasses to look at the eyescanner").
He then asked the crazy questions and then passed me onto someone who actually spoke English, who after asking why I was coming to Jordan,wished me a pleasant stay.
I collected my baggage and went outside arrivals to meet my driver. Upon leaving Queen Alia International Airport I was surprised to see a British Airways A321 registration G-MEDN which had arrived from Heathrow a few hours earlier and would be flying in the morning to Heathrow as BA147. This aircraft was one of the BMED fleet then bmi then BA again and is sistership to G-MEDL which flew me from Manchester to London Heathrow earlier in the day.
My Baggage had been priority tagged in Manchester !
Queen Alia International Airport late at night - exclusively photographed just for the FR family !
The not so cool or well timed London-Aqaba connection - considering most hotels checkin from 1400pm and that Aqaba Airport is is 2 hours drive to Petra, to arrive around 12 hours earlier really isn't something great !
Highlights from my trip !
Petra 4th December 2017
Some information about the JettBus - it departs daily from central Amman from Abdali Terminal. Customer Service is non existent. There is zero onboard service and seats are reasonably ok. The only high point is the JOD10.00 fare to/from Petra. Emaisl are never answered and I presume the same for the phone. The staff in the office are not exactly great Jordanian ambassadors.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Of all the airlines in all the places - at an arean style seating area at the gate to Petra's Visitor Centre ( the name for the whole Petra site ) ; Ladies and Gentleman meet Turkish " no photos allowed onboard our aircraft" Airlines
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
[
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Amman - 5th December 2017 onwards
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
This is without any hesitation, the best FR I have ever seen in this forum. Only if all FRs were this detailed and organized and perfect. Thanks so much for this wonderful FR. You did an outstanding job and made this FR the best read possible :)
Wow. I am speechless. I love flying and I love writing. I like to take the reader on the journey with me. I am really humbled by your beautiful words which give me encouragement to excel further ! I will be sure to read your blogs too and comment ! Thanks for appreciating me and I hope you have a delightfully happy and healthy 2018 !
As a oneworld flyer, I'm always interested in reports on other, less-known oneworld carriers, so it's nice to see a report on RJ, especially as it's the first on this route! And as you know I've been wanting to go to Jordan so this FR is particularly informative, thank you.
I love that RJ fly a 787 from LHR on what is essentially a regional route, though a long-ish regional route. Thanks for sharing this thorough review.
Hi Sir ! I sincerely hope you choose RJ to fly to Amman ! London is a flagship route hence the 787 although, as per my report, the A321 frequently appears on days when loads are occasionally low ! Thanks for your feedback :) Thank God for FR !
Thank you so much for such an incredible trip report, it felt like I was doing this trip with you, many thanks.
This is so far my favourite flight report,I like that you include your airline goodies in your reports,as I'm a fan of them as well.From experience,I wouldn't say that English is a forte of Jordanians,even though they're very educated.I'd love to see you visit more middle eastern countries,and you're welcome to my country Bahrain,but avoid coming in the summer,and gulf air(sadly,it's our national carrier,but very lacking).I think what makes RAM great is that they maintain their country's identity,rather than going multi-national like other major Arab airlines,I don't see anything cultural in Emirates,Qatar airline..etc,and most of the crew on board is not from the airline's country,