Amman-based Royal Jordanian Airlines says it will receive its first of 11 Boeing 787s in 2014, almost four years after it initially intended.
According to an announcement on the carrier's Twitter page, the airline will receive its first three 787-8 aircraft in 2014, followed by the remaining eight in 2016 and 2017.
Previously, the carrier anticipated receiving its first 787 arriving in August 2013.
Royal Jordanian placed its first 787 order in December 2006, and planned to receive its first General Electric GEnx-1B-powered 787 in 2010, making it Middle East launch customer for the engine. But Qatar Airways now assumes that title, taking its first GEnx-powered 787 in March 2012.
Royal Jordanian ordered an additional three 787s during the 2010 Farnborough air show, which replaced a previous order held with 787 lessor LCAL, which later cancelled 16 of the 21 aircraft it had on order. Two of the carrier's 787s will be leased from CIT and another two from ILFC, while a total of seven will be purchased directly from Boeing.
The 787 aircraft are intended to replace Royal Jordanian's aging Airbus A310s and A340s.
Programme delays have added more than three years to the originally planned May 2008 787 entry into service with Japan's All Nippon Airways, now targeted for the third quarter.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
