Amman: Royal Jordanian inaugurates a new addition to its route network in Africa; Nairobi, the capital of Kenya starting December 16, 2011.
The route will serve as a vital link between Jordan and Kenya, opening new economic horizons for cooperation between both countries, and is also expected to help both RJ and the tourism sector in the kingdom benefit from the tourism potential in Kenya and some major West and East African countries.
RJ President/CEO Hussein Dabbas said that the company's effort to inaugurate this route comes in line with the expansion strategy RJ in undertaking in an attempt to find new tourism and travel markets, given the decline in tourism movement from the traditional markets of Europe and North America.
The RJ president pointed out that connecting Amman with this African city is bound to attract tourists to the region, particularly Muslim pilgrims who wish to continue their flights to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia, and Christians, who come to Jordan to visit the Baptism site and other Christian holy sites. Moreover, large numbers of transit travelers can use Queen Alia International Airport as a hub for their travel to other countries.
The company will operate four weekly flights between Amman and Nairobi with its narrow-bodied A319. The aircraft is distinguished by modern features, such as spacious seat pitch, state-of-the-art audio channels, and personal video screens available for each passenger on economy and crown classes. The flights will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing from Amman at 8:30 pm and reaching Nairobi at 2:55 am the next day. The flight back from Nairobi is on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays at 3:50am, reaching Amman at 8am.
The airline is launching two new routes; to Algiers and Lagos during the first quarter of 2012. It is also conducting studies to see whether it is feasible to inaugurate routes to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and Accra, capital of Ghana. Royal Jordanian is working on putting these cities on its route network during the first half of 2012.
Dabbas said that these five additions to its 59 global destinations constitute a real leap for Royal Jordanian's volume of air transportation. The step will also support the national efforts that aim at enhancing Jordan's position as a gateway to the Middle East and a hub that connects this region to the whole world.
The above-mentioned African countries have high population densities. Nigeria has 155, 000,000citizens, Ethiopia 82,000,000, Kenya 41,000,000, Ghana 25,000,000 and Algeria 35,000,000.
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About Nairobi:
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and one of the largest cities in Africa. It is the most populous and vital city in East Africa, with a current estimated population of about 4 million. More than half of these inhabitants are concentrated in the administrative and commercial area, within 150 square kilometers.
Tourism plays a key role in the local economy of Kenya, generating over $200 million yearly, providing jobs for more than 40,000 Kenyans and contributing more income to the country's economy than any other single economic activity, except the production and sale of coffee. Large numbers of tourists visit the country each year to enjoy its spectacular array of wildlife and to experience the beautiful nature.
The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase "Enkare Nyirobi", which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun."
© Press Release 2011
