Royal Jordanian (RJ, Amman Queen Alia) has outlined its preliminary route rationalization plan aimed at cutting costs and improving efficiency at the airline. Royal Jordanian chairman, Nasser Lozi, said in a statement that services to Mumbai International will be axed with effect from September 10, to Lagos from October 10, and to Delhi International from October 31 onwards.
Set against the backdrop of rising fuel prices and the on-going violence in Gaza, Lozi also attributed the move to reduced demand for travel from/to the cities affected as well as the aggressive growth of regional competition and increased operating costs.
Along with Accra, Colombo International, Milan Malpensa and Alexandria Borg el Arab, the struggling airline has suspended operations to a total of seven destinations in the Middle East and North Africa due to security reasons in the region. Among the cities affected are: Damascus and Aleppo in Syria, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion in Israel and more recently Tripoli International, Benghazi and Misurata in Libya and Mosul in Iraq.
Royal Jordanian is pinning its hopes on the arrival of its B787-8 fleet of which the first is due next month with an additional four due before year-end.
