Jordan Aviation targets US flights

Jordan Aviation (R5, Amman Queen Alia) has applied for exemption authority and a foreign air carrier permit (FACP) to begin charter and scheduled services to the United States. “Jordan Aviation anticipates inaugurating scheduled service to the United States by April 1, 2021, but plans to begin charter-only service as soon as it receives all necessary governmental approvals,” the airline said in its application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT). While scant on details regarding its proposed network, the airline said it would carry both passengers and cargo, the latter comprising mostly personal protective equipment (PPE). It estimates that it would carry around 9,600 passengers and 1,560 tonnes of freight during the first year of services between Jordan and the US. The privately-owned airline did not disclose which of its aircraft it plans to use for its forthcoming US operations. Its widebody fleet comprises two active A330-200s and two B767-200(ER)s in long-term storage. Its 40%-owned Egyptian subsidiary Alexandria Airlines (KHH, Cairo Int’l) operates a single B777-300, although it has been inactive since mid-March 2020. The airline did not respond to ch-aviation’s request for further comment. Jordan Aviation also operates three B737-300s, one B737-400, and two A320-200s, while Alexandria Airlines operates a B737-500, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. The privately-owned carrier operates a mix of scheduled services in the Middle East out of its base at Amman Queen Alia airport and charter operations. It is poised to become the second Jordanian operator to serve the US after flag carrier Royal Jordanian (RJ, Amman Queen Alia), which currently serves Chicago O’Hare and Detroit Metropolitan using B787-8s.