en.Wedoany.com Reported - Royal Jordanian Airlines is advancing its growth strategy, aiming to expand its fleet and develop its cargo operations with the Airbus A330F.

Karim Makhlouf, the airline's Chief Commercial Officer, stated in an interview with Aviation Week in Vienna on June 26 that available seat kilometers have increased by 34% this year, with an expected growth of 35% to 36% next year, balanced across all network segments, including long-haul, medium-haul, and regional routes. Makhlouf was in Vienna to launch four weekly services from Amman to the Austrian capital, starting June 24.

Makhlouf noted that when he joined the airline five years ago, it had 23 aircraft; now it has grown to 38, with plans to expand to 41 by 2028. Reaching a fleet size of 52 aircraft by 2032 would require purchasing 11 more aircraft, a plan pending approval. He believes this fleet size is necessary to operate as a competitive airline, noting that Royal Jordanian was previously too small. The future fleet will consist of A320/A321neo series aircraft, Embraer E195-E2s, and Boeing 787s. By 2032, the widebody fleet will include a total of 14 Boeing 787s, with nine currently in operation and plans to gradually expand by approximately one aircraft per year.

Makhlouf emphasized that a key focus of the restructuring is improving fleet productivity and load factor, which has reached 81.5%, forming the basis for profitability. The airline posted a net profit of $30.5 million in 2025. Regarding the cargo fleet, the airline is investing in a multimodal transport hub concept, including a regional logistics cargo hub, and is seeking a new facility to build the Airbus A330F to operate cargo flights to the United States, Africa, and Europe, with a target of having three A330Fs within the next four to five years. Currently, the airline operates one A321F on regional routes and flights to Maastricht, Netherlands (its European cargo hub), and is seeking a second A321F to strengthen its cargo operations.

Regarding the impact of Pratt & Whitney GTF engine challenges on the E195-E2 and A320/A321neo fleets, Makhlouf stated that initial issues with the E2 fleet two years ago were quickly resolved thanks to sufficient spare engines and timely support from Embraer and Pratt & Whitney, with no current problems. Royal Jordanian is the launch customer for the E195-E2 in the Middle East, operating eight aircraft. For the A320neo fleet, being new, GTF engine issues are expected next year. During the Iran war, 25% of the airline's fleet was grounded, allowing it to use the downtime for engine maintenance. This proactive approach is expected to reduce the risk of simultaneous GTF engine problems, with hopes to overcome this engine issue within two years.