Aircraft

Royal Jordanian Airlines expects its long-haul fleet renewal to involve acquiring eight to 10 aircraft as the carrier begins to address the need to replace its Airbus A340s and A310s.

Chief executive Samer Majali says the airline’s long-haul requirements will be assessed during the second half of this year. This follows the carrier’s decision to modernise its short- and medium-haul fleet with Airbus A320 family and Embraer 195 aircraft.

Majali says four A340-200s and up to three A310-300s will be replaced by either the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787. The airline has already started phasing in newer A320 family narrowbodies and will begin taking delivery of seven E-195s from October.

Meanwhile, the carrier is rethinking its use of the Bombardier Q400, after admitting that passengers appear less keen to travel by turboprop than by jet. Two Q400s operate under the Royal Jordanian Xpress brand.

Majali says that, while the aircraft have demonstrated good economic performance, passengers can suffer baggage limitations on long-haul feeder services. “The customers in this region are fickle and very demanding,” he adds.

DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW / AMMAN