Royal Jordanian restarts Amman to Jakarta flights

Royal Jordanian (RJ) has inaugurated a new direct route from Amman to Jakarta. Jakarta is the fourth new RJ destination in 2015, after Ankara in Turkey on December 8, and to Tabuk in KSA and Najaf in Iraq earlier this year.

RJ had operated flights to Jakarta between 1992 and 2002; they were suspended for commercial reasons. RJ President/CEO Captain Suleiman Obeidat said that reopening the Amman-Jakarta route comes at a time when Indonesia witnesses growing air traffic, which reflects Indonesia's position as the 17th largest economy worldwide. Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, with an estimated 255 million population, 10 million of which live in Jakarta.

Captain Obeidat said that this route is ideal for tourists travelling from Jordan and the Levant to Indonesia and to transport Indonesian students studying in Jordan. The route will also serve the Indonesian labour force, cargo and business traffic.

Captain Obeidat added that the feasibility studies conducted by Royal Jordanian showed that this route is important for transit passengers who come to Amman in order to connect to the cities served by RJ network and that of oneworld carriers.

RJ will fly to Jakarta, via Kuala Lumpur, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The wide body Airbus 330 aircraft, which will fly on this route, takes off from Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, at 0130 and reaches Jakarta at 1825; it departs Jakarta at 1955 and lands in Amman at 0415 the following day.

Lockton opens first Jordan office

Lockton, the privately-held, independent insurance broker, has opened a Jordan office in Amman, to be headed by Ahmad Abdo, General Manager. The expansion will enable the business to better serve corporate clients' insurance and risk management needs in Jordan, and regional and international clients with operations in Jordan.

Wael Khatib, Senior Partner & Chairman, Lockton (MENA) commented: "Lockton is a client-focused organisation, passionate about serving our clients. As we continue to grow our business, we need to stay close to them so that we can continue to improve our first-class local service and support."

He added, "Mr Ahmad Abdo is well known and respected in Jordan, with substantial experience in the market. I look forward to working with him and his team in further building the business and supporting our rapidly growing client base in Jordan and beyond."

Ahmad commented, "Lockton is enjoying rapid growth and development within the UAE and broader MENA region, as clients increasingly recognise the benefits of our keen focus on meeting their needs and our ability to create effective solutions. I am very pleased to be joining Lockton at this exciting time and to contributing to the continued success and evolution of the business."

In the coming 12 months, Lockton is planning further expansion in countries across the MENA region, the company said.

Iftar dining and entertainment will feature this Ramadhan at the Corp Amman

Source: Corp Amman Hotel website.

The 4-star Corp Amman Hotel has developed an iftar and suhoor offering for Ramadhan featuring traditional hospitality in Amman. Evenings filled with food and music await for JD18 per person, excluding services and taxes.

The fête begins with an iftar menu served at the all-day dining Boulevard Restaurant & Poolside Terrace, featuring popular Ramadhan juices, dried fruits, Arabic breads, soups, salads, pickles and mezze as well as regional dishes such as chicken shawarma, lamb ouzi, stuffed zucchini and vine leaves, kuffteh, kubbeh, chicken with cashew nuts, plus an array of pasta and fish options. Complete your dining experience with an assortment of seasonal fresh fruits, popular Arabic sweets and pastries.

The rooftop Lebanese restaurant Mood will host Jordanian artist Yousef Al Amir, who will be entertaining diners with oud performances every day throughout Ramadhan from 9.30pm to 1.30am.

Erik Huyer, General Manager of the hotel said popular Ramadhan programmes on leading TV channels would be shown as part of the Ramadhan promotion. “The hotel is set to receive diners in a warm and welcoming ambience perfect to enjoy the wide array of Ramadhan delicacies, as they chill out to the mellow sounds of music offered by a master oud player," he said.