Amman, on April 29, a newly manufactured Airbus A320 joined the RJ fleet. The aircraft landed at Queen Alia International Airport coming from Toulouse, one of the European cities where the Airbus is manufactured.

With the new addition, called Mount Nebo, the RJ fleet now comprises 32 planes that serve 59 destinations. The latest addition will serve medium-range routes of RJ-the oneworld carrier. It is the first of seven new Airbus A320 and 321 that are planned to be introduced to the fleet this year and in 2012.

The RJ plan to modernize part of its medium-haul fleet includes replacement of the current six Airbus A320s and 321s with newly manufactured ones of the same model, and the addition of one new aircraft. After receiving the seven aircraft, the medium-range fleet will comprise 13 new aircraft of the A320 family: four Airbus A319, four A321s and five A320s.

RJ President/CEO Hussein Dabbas said that the replacement of the six aircraft (that are between five and six years old) is expected to boost the standard of service offered passengers and rejuvenate the RJ fleet.

He pointed out that the majority of RJ aircraft are considered young at international level, and this will ensure better passenger satisfaction and higher service standards, while helping the airline save time and money for aircraft maintenance.

Dabbas added that the V2500 engines that the airline selected for this aircraft and the six to join are of the most developed and advanced engines. They have high technical specifications and are efficient in terms of fuel consumption.

The aircraft has 136 seats, 16 of which dedicated to the Crown Class, which provides a high level of comfort and luxury to passengers when it comes to seat pitch and in-flight entertainment system, in addition to Audio-Video-On-Demand, embedded in every seat on the aircraft.

Dabbas said that these distinctive aircraft features are highly prized by passengers and are likely to increase demand on travel on board RJ aircraft.

At the beginning of 2014, the airline will receive the first of 11 Boeing 787s, the most modern in the world, which it contracted in order to modernize its long-range fleet.

Source: Press Release (Royal Jordanian)